Basketball player Nadia Begay is a flash of inspiration across the New Mexico plains for the people of the Navajo Nation.

Nadia Begay’s basketball career has been like a storm brewing in Kirtland, New Mexico. It started quietly but has gained momentum and strength each year.

In March of 2003, the 5’8″ senior two-guard led Kirtland Central High School to its 15th state championship. She scored a combined 67 points in the semi-final and championship games and finished her prep career with 1,639 points.

You’d think that a school with 15 state titles (Kirtland has made the tournament 25 years in a row) would have sent a few players to big-time colleges. But that September, Begay became the first Kirtland player to be recruited by a Division 1 (Division 1 = colleges with large athletic programs) college straight from high school.

Why? Begay is a Navajo Native American. Like many Native American players in the southwest, she has lived on or near reservations her entire life. The areas are remote, so there are few opportunities for a player to be seen by national coaches.

Begay will play hoops and study sports medicine at Boise State University on a scholarship. But she might not have been noticed if it hadn’t been for her determination to break through.

Hoop Dreams

Begay was born on a Navajo reservation in Tuba City, Arizona. Her mother, Jackie, played guard for Kirtland and is a former high school coach. Growing up, Begay learned to play basketball from her mom and always shot hoops in the backyard. “There isn’t a house on the reservation that doesn’t have a basketball goal,” she says with a smile.

Begay joined her first organized team in fourth grade. By eighth grade, she had developed a smooth shooting stroke and made Kirtland’s junior varsity team. She watched women’s college games and thought, Man, I want to be on TV. I want to show I can play with them.

But she knew that college coaches weren’t going to come looking for her. “Kirtland is a one-stoplight town,” she says. “No Division 1 coach would come down just to watch Kirtland.”

Opening the Door

In 1995, Begay’s mother organized a traveling team. The team played in tournaments in Oklahoma, Oregon, and Nevada. Playing in those tournaments helped the hardworking guard with the sweet scoring touch grab the attention of Division 1 coaches.

“She always talked about playing Division 1,” says friend Kym Simpson. “She worked hard, throughout the seasons and off-seasons. It paid off.”

Begay and her mom sent videotapes of her highlights to Division 1 colleges around the country. By her sophomore year, schools such as San Diego State, BYU, and Penn were sending her recruiting letters. She decided to attend Boise State after visiting the school.

“I liked the campus, the coach is new, and I thought I might fit there,” she says.

Welcome to the Show

Boise’s guard-friendly system should complement Begay’s all-around scoring ability. In the opening minutes of the 2003 state final, Begay showcased her skills. She scored Kirtland’s first four baskets by splitting the defense for a layup, going coast-to-coast for a deuce, scoring on her own steal, and draining a corner jumper. She finished with 31 points in the 89–59 win.

After the game, Begay signed autographs for a swarm of young Navajo girls. Those girls will surely be tracking Begay’s college career. Some may even follow her path.

“I think [my recruitment] opens up a lot for the Navajo Nation,” says Begay. “Every Division 1 coach I’ve talked to, I’m like, ‘Why don’t you come check out this other player?’”

And her plans for next season? “My goal is to start, but we’ll see,” she says. “I just hope to make a difference.”

That’s one goal Begay has already achieved.

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