by Dan Ninham, Contributing Writer
Orion King is Navajo and lives in Rock Point, Arizona. He is a senior at Navajo Preparatory School and he competes in football and basketball.
Last season King was named First Team All-District 1 – 3A. He was also named Most Improved and Defensive POY at Navajo Prep.
“Ultimately the accomplishments made myself reflect and realize the amount of work being paid off,” said King. “However, last basketball season our boys’ basketball program was seeded second entering the state tournament for 3A, which to me was a huge accomplishment to myself and my team as this was the highest seed our school has been ranked in the history of Navajo Preparatory School.”
“After the heartbreaking loss in the semifinals, I was honored a major accomplishment as First Team All-State for New Mexico in 3A. This accomplishment made myself proud, not only that but representing my family, school, and even my coach for bestowing this award,” added King.
The indigenous athlete relies on their indigenous core values to lead them on and off the court and field. King talked about his connection to tradition with sport leadership. He said, “In our Navajo culture stories and teachings there is a harmonic balance for everyone, stories and teachings which is taught by parents or elders. Those teachings are passed down because it is what guides our people and the ways of our life.”
He continued to connect traditional ways to being athletic, “In our stories, the Twin Warriors represent the balance in which they used perseverance, leadership, trust/teamwork, k’é or clan ship and kinship, family, and self-identity to overcome challenges to help their people as well as themselves. The Twin Warriors also learned about the importance of ceremonies, of self-identity to understand and embrace their strengths and weaknesses. In many ways, the Twin Warriors understood the significance of balance in their life by using prayer, ceremonies, and mental strength to use in their life as a shield. As told, understanding this teaching as a young man, it helped me lay the foundation to be mentally strong, understanding my own strengths and weaknesses on the court also to be disciplined and humble which is having sportsmanship.”
“The leadership value includes encouraging, uplifting, protecting and helping my teammates on the court so we can compete as a team together,” said King. “All the while, working together as a family, trusting each other’s and myself to pull each of our own weight. Like the Twin Warriors when they depended on each other, we as a team-built chemistry, bond with one another, strengthening relationships, making core memories, and proudly calling each of my teammates my brother.”
“As a team, we learned from our mistakes together, and even myself, using the values and teachings to practice and harness the skills as a player. Ultimately, the stories, teachings, and values of my indigenous background has defined myself and uses on the court to become a better basketball player,” added King.
“I joined basketball in seventh grade, not because I was interested or good at playing already but because I wanted to challenge myself at something new,” said King. “I had to learn all the rules, plays, positions, and whatever else I could to understand the game of basketball that everyone loved. I didn’t have much coordination, but I pushed myself to try. In doing so I found the love of basketball, eager to learn more about what I could possibly do especially when I pushed body to the limits.”
“Playing at high school level, my biggest goal is to compete and play for the championship game to win at State Title for Navajo Prep because in the history of Navajo Prep Boys Basketball program, they have never won a title,” said King. “That is my biggest goal is to make it to ‘the Pit’ again so I can proudly say I am a State Champion for Navajo Prep.”
“In order to get to that high performance level, as a team we played in summer camps, leagues and tournaments all summer against bigger schools and tougher opponents to pull out of our comfort zones and try to trust each other on the court. We have played against faster, stronger, and taller opponents but we always found a way to win through teamwork,” added King.
King’s main mentor is his mother Delano Yazzie. King said, “She has guided me through every challenge, thick and thin. Athletically or not, my mother has shown me what I can do to become better as a person, mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. My mother has taught me many teachings either about life, Navajo culture, and even basketball as she played at the college level.”
“My mother has been the foundation when I began playing basketball, showing me moves and suggesting what to focus on and become better at. Anytime I need help, struggle, or need advice or even someone to talk to, I can turn to my mother for mentorship and support. Ultimately, my mother is my mentor for life,” added King.
“I never see him practice because his school is almost two hours away from where we live,” said Delano Yazzie. “We live on the reservation in Arizona and he’s a dorm student at Navajo Prep in NM. He comes from a very rural community called Rock Point.”
“Not many people understand how far some of these students travel to attend school at Navajo Prep. It plays a big factor for him because other students live closer but we have to make arrangements and plan for him to attend camps or tournaments with his teammates,” added Yazzie.
“He barely started playing basketball his seventh grade year with no playing time and then came back his eighth grade year,” said Yazzie. “He was still learning to play when he tried out for Navajo Prep basketball team his freshman year and made the team. Because of Covid, the team didn’t have a full season but he wore a jersey. Sophomore year was the year he finally started playing better. Matt Melvin really helped him develop as a player.”
Mom Delano Yazzie continued to talk about her son the high school basketball player. She said, “Orion would get discouraged because he felt he wasn’t up to par like his team mates because they were good at handling the ball and reading the court but i would tell him to play his best defense and defend the paint. I just encouraged him to be the reason why it’s hard to make shots inside the paint.”
“He works hard and no one really acknowledges the big guy who works the paint but when he received the 3A All State team award he was shocked and I told him, see other people see how hard you work,” added Yazzie.
Matt Melvin is the varsity head coach at Navajo Prep Academy. He said, “Orion might not look it but he is very strong. He doesn’t know how strong he is. From when he got to prep to where he is now he is the most improved player on the team.”
“A lot of hard work and a ton of reps. I think his sophomore year our last game we lost to St. Mike’s in the final seconds was his best game and he was a monster in that game. That’s when we thought if he keeps working he could be a problem and then last year as junior he made all state,” added Coach Melvin.
Jeffery Tome is the Navajo Prep Assistant Coach. He talked about his athlete Orion. “I’ve known Orion for three years. Orion displays a level of dedication and perseverance throughout the years that I’ve seen him in the Navajo Prep program. In his earlier years, he focused a lot on perfecting his fundamentals as a post-player during, before and after practice. Numerous times with coaches, one on one, he would request to practice and do a little extra than the normal timeframe of a practice.”
“Orion is the type of player during practice that will be very coachable and always have a positive mindset. He has been one of the most improved basketball players I’ve seen in a span of two full seasons,” added Coach Tome.
Photo: Lee Begaye
