by By Dan Ninham (Oneida)
Ken Fox III is a basketball player at Fond du Lac Ojibwe School in Cloquet, Minnesota. His Ojibwe name is ma’iingan and the meaning is wolf. He is Ojibwe and Bear Clan. His mother is Roberta Shabaiash and father is Ken Fox, Jr. Ken Fox, Jr. lives in Mahnomen, MN and Roberta Shabaiash lives in Cloquet, MN.
“I compete for my brother Brian,” said Ken III. “He passed away coming up on a year.”
“I am a point guard for the Fond du Lac Ojibwe School Ogichidaag (Warriors),” said Ken III. “We are like one small tribe. I would say everyone knows each other and the tribe shows support. The main thing is they all wanna see us succeed on and off the court well.”
“I try to have truth every time I step on the court,” said Ken III. “If it’s listening to my coaches that tell me I missed a wide open guy or just a screen here and a pass there would lead to open chances I tell him the truth what I seen in that position I was in. I have love for all my teammates most of been playing with each other since about 7th or 8th grade so they’re like my brothers. I practice respect by listening to my coaches and the knowledge they have for the game and respect what my teammates have to say. Courage honestly leads me to be a better basketball by taking on the bigger guys putting my body on the line taking a charge. With courage you can’t be afraid to take on a bigger battle and compete with them. I treat everyone like being equal on the team and no one is better than one another. I carry wisdom by getting better knowing the game listening to my coaches and getting knowledge from my teammates.”
“My dad Ken Fox Jr. always told me to put everything I got out on the court cause you never what could happen,” said Ken III. My coaches Earl Otis and Jason brown pushed me to succeed on the court.”
“Ken III looks to distribute the ball to his teammates first and score second,” said dad Ken Jr. “He takes leadership on the court as his job as point guard. Off the court Ken III participates on the pow wow circuit, he is a grass dancer and has traveled to various pow wows representing Fond du Lac Veterans Association as their brave.”
“Ken III tries to lead as a positive role model to his friends and younger nieces and nephews,” added Ken Jr.
“Ken’s a good student-athlete, a good kid and teammate, and well liked in the gym,” said Earl Otis, head boys’ basketball coach at Fond du Lac Ojibwe School. “He’s young and it’s going to be exciting to watch him continue to develop his game in the next few years.”
Mom Roberta Shabaiash talked about her son: “Ken was born on the evening of the Red Lake shooting. He was the last child of five, with four older sisters. We spent a lot of our life together moving from town to town to reservation during the 28 years together. Along the way Ken III and his sister made a connection and all had been a contributing factor to all the teams they played for.”
“Ken was born with a basketball in his crib from the time he could move the ball right beside him. He started in Cloquet, MN at Washington Elementary as a kindergartener dominating the court and having to sit out so the other teams could play,” added Roberta.
“In the third grade he began a wonderful journey to the North Country and played with Coach Nolan Desjarlait and the Red Lake Lil’ Warriors,” said Roberta. “Ken’s teammate that has been beside him every step of the way has been Jordan Brown the three-point shooting ‘King’ and the late lil’ Nolan, Jr. They were unstoppable no matter what team they played on.”
“I think that losing his best friend lil’ Nolan Jr. and his brother BJ last year (05/31/18) at such a young age has pushed him to be a great team player,” said Roberta.
“I invited Kenny to come play with my son and his team, the Lil’ Warriors,” said Nolan Desjarlait. “A team of second graders playing in third grade tournaments. Yeah, we took our losses but we learned how to lose in a good way. I told them in years to come we will win and we just got to keep playing until that final buzzer goes off. As today I watch Kenny and he still plays with heart and passion for the game. He is a very strong leader. I’m glad I got know him and coach him.”
Roberta said another story about her son: “Ken III was asked when he started junior varsity basketball in 7th grade ’why didn’t you go out there and score 50 points on them boys?’ Ken III said: ‘Playing like that doesn’t make anyone a better player!’ He has never been a selfish player, and his team and his brothers come first.”
During his younger years Ken III played with Minneapolis Parks and Recreation teams, the Minnesota Magic AAU team, Minneapolis Roosevelt’s lil’ Teddies, and Minnesota Warriors Team Flight.
“It was great playing for Coach Rob Mestas,” said Ken III. “He knows a lot about the game and him being a small point guard like I was so I just listened to everything he had to say. He played at one of the highest levels and he pushes players and coaches like that and he’s one of my models.”
Ken II has advice for younger student-athletes: “I would tell a younger student-athlete to never settle for anything less and work on your game no matter what it takes. Listen to your teachers and be respectful.”
Photo Credit: Justice Makes Room For Them Janke
