Hoopfest: 36 years strong, a family tradition for one dedicated player

Spokane, WASH. — More than 250,000 people packed the streets of Spokane this weekend for Hoopfest, the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball tournament. But among the sea of players and fans, not many people can say they have competed in every one of the tournament’s 36 years.

Hoopfest launched in 1990 and has grown from a local competition into a global basketball landmark, drawing players from across the country each summer to compete on the blocked-off streets of downtown Spokane.

Rob Hopkins is one of the rare few who has played in every tournament since year one. Now decades removed from that first game, Hopkins still laces up and this year, he started strong, going undefeated in his first two games.

For Hopkins, Hoopfest has become more than a competition. It is a family tradition that has stretched across generations.

“I just hope that it stays here for my grandkids, so that they can experience it and have fun with it,” Hopkins said. “I don’t have anyone my age to play with anymore so my kids play with me. So it’s been a great family thing. We’ve got grandkids coming, five of them now, so we are going to be putting Hoopfest teams together for a while.”

Hopkins’ story reflects a broader truth about Hoopfest, that for many participants, the tournament is not simply an athletic event. It is a recurring chapter in their lives; one they return to year after year.

The tournament’s growth over three-plus decades has been significant. What began as a small-scale event has expanded into a weekend that transforms downtown Spokane, filling its streets with courts, competitors, and spectators. Its designation as the world’s largest 3-on-3 tournament speaks to the scale it has reached.

For the small group of players who have been there since the beginning, this year’s tournament marks another milestone, 36 consecutive years of showing up, competing, and watching Hoopfest evolve into what it is today.