DENVER — This weekend was all about Native American hoops in Colorado.
It was the 38th annual All-West Native American basketball tournament at the Gold Crown fieldhouse in Lakewood.
More than 100 teams were there, featuring tribes from around the country. They all came to the Centennial state to celebrate hoops and heritage. Every year it's a chance for athletes from different reservations to show that Native Americans can hoop, too.
I was there -- and as a Native American, I was proud to see athletes showing off their abilities. Some of these athletes had never even left their respective reservation, so it really was the trip of a lifetime.
It was a chance to both get exposure to potential collegiate opportunities, and experience travel and competition against other natives -- all while making new friends and sharing each other's culture.
Basketball is so important in Indian Country. For people on the reservation, it can serve as a way out. It can give young people hope.
Basketball is much more than just a game, and the love I have for it only grew after watching everyone come together this weekend.
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