NABI Tournament To Bring 144 Native American Basketball Teams To Arizona In July

June 12, 2026

GRIN Staff

Gila River Indian News

PHOENIX — The squeak of sneakers on the hardwood and the roar of the stands will once again reignite the heart of Arizona. The Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI), North America’s most prestigious Indigenous youth sporting event, will celebrate the talent, culture and dreams of hundreds of athletes, July 14-18, in Phoenix.

This year’s men’s division will include 80 teams from a number of Native nations. The host state will be very well represented with 30 local teams ready to fight for their home turf. In the women’s category, the matches are just as fierce and passionate, with 64 teams from all over the country – 28 of those teams proudly representing Arizona’s Indigenous communities.

Beyond the numbers on the scoreboard, NABI is a platform for visibility and empowerment. For many of these young athletes, the tournament is a chance to get noticed by college scouts and open a door to higher education through sports. The courts will see not only tactical plays and spectacular baskets, but the reunion of traditions and the bonding of communities that share a common identity.

The excitement will peak with the championship games on July 18 at Phoenix College where new champions will be crowned. But the real victory at NABI is the resilience of a youth who runs, shoots and lifts the name of their roots with pride.