Ball Up!
Basketball is a BIG deal in Virgin Islands culture.
Basketball culture has always been an interesting topic to both experience and reflect on, especially growing up in the US Virgin Islands. Being one of the more popular sports of current, its integration into local culture has only strengthened due to the legacies of Tim Duncan, Kevin “Tigan” Sheppard, Keith “Zoro” Swanston, and more, international and local heroes alike. Not only did basketball’s reputation in the Virgin Islands grow on the big stages of professional basketball leagues, but it also did locally, through coaches, trainers, league organizers, and players themselves, many of whom wear many of the hats listed, and many more.
Basketball here is more than just a pastime — It’s community-building , therapeutic, exercise for the mind and body, and most importantly, a way towards a brighter future, leading to the prestigious collegiate athletic scholarship or pro-league call-up that was all our aims as young athletes pursuing excellence. Furthermore, the sport has strengthened our ties to both the mainland US and the Caribbean, underlining the internationalized culture and history of the Virgin Islands.
Basketball’s legacy continues to thrive in modern VI culture, through it’s long-standing school programs, amateur leagues, and players that have gone on to bigger stages to represent Virgin Islands excellence in all that we do.