PLAY PODCASTS
Ryneldi Becenti - Native American basketball hero

Ryneldi Becenti - Native American basketball hero

How the first Native American to play in the NBA inspired her community in the 1990s

Sporting Witness · BBC World Service

May 19, 20229m 3s

Audio is streamed directly from the publisher (open.live.bbc.co.uk) as published in their RSS feed. Play Podcasts does not host this file. Rights-holders can request removal through the copyright & takedown page.

Show Notes

It's 25 years since Ryneldi Becenti became the first Native American to play in the women's NBA when she made her debut for the Phoenix Mercury. Basketball is a big sport on Native American reservations and success made Becenti a hero in her community. In 2019, Lucy Burns spoke to Ryneldi Becenti about her career and her challenging family background.

Photo: Ryneldi Becenti playing for Arizona State University (courtesy Arizona State University)