We Got Game!

On the reservation, basketball isn’t just a game—it’s a way of life. The court is where kids learn toughness, respect, and belonging. If you could ball, you were a king. Even if you weren’t, just stepping onto the asphalt with courage earned you respect.

Evenings stretched long under a single buzzing streetlight, where shadows stretched as tall as the mountains beyond. Kids would ride their bikes or pile into cars, chasing the echo of a bouncing ball from one playground to the next.

The holy grail was finding a hoop that stood straight, with a rim that wasn’t bent and—if you were lucky—a net that wasn’t torn. Those courts drew the crowd. You didn’t just walk on; you waited. You studied the game, picked sides, and knew your turn was coming.

And when it was your moment, there was only one way to claim it. You stepped onto the blacktop and called out across the glow of the lamp:

“We got winner.”