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Sporting Witness: Ryneldi Becenti - Native American basketball hero

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19/05/2022 GMT

Ryneldi Becenti - Native American basketball hero

BBC World Service - Sporting Witness, Ryneldi Becenti - Native American basketball hero

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

Ryneldi Becenti became the first Native American to play in the women's NBA when she made her debut for the Phoenix Mercury in 1997

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)

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