RICHMOND, Va. -- He embraces his Native American culture because it matters to him. Even as he tries to make a team with a nickname some Native Americans despise.
Kendal Thompson attended religious ceremonies and powwows with his family when he was growing up, weekend-long celebrations complete with fireworks and stories of his ancestors. He went through a naming ceremony a year ago, which is why he’s also known as Little Wolf. And he's had his mom perform a ritual in which she fans him with smoke, which is meant to protect him from danger or relieve turmoil while reminding him of the past.