MarJon Beauchamp is a professional basketball player currently playing for the NBA Milwaukee Bucks. Beauchamp is from the Mission Indian tribes as well as the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, both located in Southern California. He was a first-round pick in the NBA Draft in 2022 and will be entering his third year in the NBA during the upcoming 2024-2025 season, slated to begin this October. Along with Kyrie Irving, Lindey Waters III and RaeQuan Battle, Beauchamp is one of only four Indigenous athletes currently playing in the NBA.

In late June, Beauchamp hosted the first annual MarJon Beauchamp All-Native Invitational tournament, sponsored by the Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI). With the help of GinaMarie Garcia Scarpa, CEO and president of NABI Nation, Beauchamp held the invitational in Seattle, Washington, on the Muckleshoot Reservation, where more than 30 boys’ and girls’ basketball teams battled for the tourney’s championship title.

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community boys’ basketball team Salt River Ba’ag traveled to Washington to compete in the tournament. Making the trip were coach Kyronna Roanhorse and the following athletes of SR Ba’ag: Beau Burns Jr., O’Shea Bonner, Diante Anderson, Kylen Bonner, AJ Seumanu, Ray Angulo, Dogka Nephi, Akee Katneay and Conor Doka.

“Three players got to meet Beauchamp,” said Roanhorse. “He was very nice, polite and always open to signing autographs and taking pictures with everyone. He was there from registration day to the end of the tourney. He roamed around and watched lots of games. We even saw a small workout he was doing with his trainer before the coaches’ meeting on Thursday evening.”

Playing in Washington in the MJB Invitational was the farthest west the boys of SR Ba’ag have ever traveled for a basketball tournament. Previously they traveled to Oregon back when they were in the eighth grade.

“The food was so good. The players had a ‘meet and greet’ night and were given food vouchers. They had the choice of a food truck serving barbecue or Indian tacos. The background of Mt. Rainer was amazing when [we were] walking out of the gym,” shared Roanhorse.

In the MJB Invitational, SR Ba’ag ran into familiar competition when they went head-to-head against Unconquered, a team from Florida that beat SR Ba’ag in last year’s NABI tournament. However, the boys were prepared.

“We had to play together as one team,” said Roanhorse. “This was a great game, from tipoff to the ending buzzer. We won the game by one point, 67-66. It was a great game!”

Throughout the tournament, SR Ba’ag was featured on the official MJB Invitational social media pages due to their stellar pool play, where they finished 3-0 and won each game by at least 15 points. “The team came to play ball and handle business,” said Roanhorse.

After two days of competitive basketball play, SR Ba’ag were 6-0 with their eyes squarely set on the championship game. Sadly, in their semifinal game against Legendary Elite from Oklahoma, SR Ba’ag fell short. They lost a hard-fought game, bringing an end to their tournament play. Legendary Elite eventually won the tournament.

“They are blessed and thankful to be able to attend this tournament,” said Roanhorse about the SR Ba’ag players. “They enjoy the hospitality of the Native community and their members.”

Back home, SR Ba’ag continued playing basketball at a high level as they participated in the 2024 Native American Basketball Invitational (NABI) as well as the “Dunking in the Desert” tournament in Gilbert in late July.

Fans interested in following SR Ba’ag can follow their Instagram page at @salt_river_baag where they post updates regarding upcoming tournaments.