NBA Veteran Mario Chalmers Surprised and Thankful After Receiving a Gift He Won't Soon Forget

Last Thursday, more than 30 students and staff members from the Boys & Girls Club of the Hocak Nisoc Haci of Winnebago Tribe in Nebraska drove nearly two hours to experience a Sioux Falls Skyforce game for the first time. As it turns out, they weren’t just there to enjoy a professional basketball game. They were on a mission.

Long-time NBA veteran and current Skyforce guard, Mario Chalmers, has served as an inspiration to these students and staff members dating back to his time as a Jayhawk in Lawrence, KS. They made the trip to support him, specifically, and give him a gift that very few have the honor of receiving.

“We wanted to gift him with this blanket on behalf of the Boys & Girls Club of the Hocak Nisoc Haci of Winnebago Tribe,” said CEO Wambli Dolezal. “The gift of a Chief Joseph Pendleton Blanket is one of our highest honors, given to a family member, friend, or distinguished person who we admire and respect.”

The gift came as a surprise to Chalmers after he had finished signing autographs and taking photos with the students and staff in the group. It serves as a moment he won’t soon forget.

“It just means a lot,” said Chalmers. “I’ve been in this game a long time, and I’ve been through a lot. To see that kids and people still look to me for joy, to have them tell me they have the utmost respect for me and that they think of me in this type of way, it just makes me feel very privileged. I’m very honored to be associated with them, and to now be part of this group.”

Though Chalmers had never met or worked with this group specifically, he’s worked closely with several Native American Heritage groups in the past throughout his time in Lawrence and Miami. It has served as an important connection to him dating back to his time growing up in Alaska.

“Being from Alaska, we had large communities of Native Americans where I was from,” said Chalmers. “Things like this just resonate with me. It’s kind of like being at home. To come out here and be able to do similar things, to be able to connect with some different reservations and have a positive impact on those kids, it means a lot.”

The gift of a Pendleton Blanket is a powerful symbol that carries with it a wealth of history, tradition, and respect. What began as a simple way of providing children with positive experiences through the game of basketball quickly transformed into a moment that will have a lasting impact on everyone involved. The Skyforce, along with Chalmers, will forever be thankful to the students and staff of the Boys & Girls Club of the Hocak Nisoc Haci of Winnebago Tribe for that, and are already looking forward to hosting them again in the future.