Nothing But Net! Young Girls Dream Big At LA Sparks-Sponsored Tournament

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — For Kumi Tamura, basketball means everything.

The now 15-year-old on Saturday helped run a basketball clinic for younger kids at Venice Beach. It was part of a three-on-three tournament for girls sponsored by the Los Angeles Sparks.

The idea behind the tournament? To provide kids with important building blocks through the game.

"It's not just about picking up the ball and throwing it in the hoop," said Natalie White, Senior Vice President of the Sparks. "It's about learning the game of basketball and the game of life and what it teaches you on and off the court."

Tamura herself has benefited from similar programs.

CBS Los Angeles first met Tamura five years ago when the Sparks were up for sale. As a 10-year-old, she talked about the importance of having female pro-athletes as role models.

Since then, she's become a member of the team's #WeAreGirls Youth Ambassador Council with a mission to get more people exposed to the beauty of the WNBA.

"They're just as entertaining," she said. "There may not be a lot of dunks and stuff. They're just as fundamentally skilled."

One person who has mastered many of those skills is Kalani Brown, whose dad is former NBA player PJ Brown. But, she says, it was her mom who was her coach growing up.

"Now I'm a professional basketball player because of her, pushing me to be that. You know, she didn't baby me when I failed," Brown said.

Brown, who was a first round draft pick and a rookie for the Sparks this season, has gotten to know Tamura, who lettered Varsity in basketball on her high school team as a freshman.

"It just make you happy that she's fighting for the same cause as you are and that she understands us as women and as players so she has my eternal gratitude," Brown said of Tamura.

Tamura says her opportunities wouldn't have happened had it not been for her friend and mentor, Kobe Bryant.

Tamura met the Mamba at his basketball camp years ago, which led to bond with Nike executive Jian Allen, who connected Tamura to the Sparks' front office.

She's hoping to play basketball in college, but knows there are no guarantees in life.

"If I'm not able to play, I would want to be involved with basketball," she said. "I would want to be a coach or work behind the scenes in any team that will let me play."