Klutch Athletics by New Balance Welcomes Aaliyah Crump as First High School Player and First Female Athlete
Addition of MaxPreps All-American Guard Expands Klutch Athletics Roster Into New Dimensions
Los Angeles, CA and Boston, MA – December 6, 2023 – Klutch Athletics by New Balance announced today the addition of 2023 USA Women’s Basketball U16 gold medalist Aaliyah Crump to the brand’s growing athlete roster. Aaliyah becomes the brand’s first high school NIL athlete and first female to join the brand.
“It’s an unbelievable honor for me to become the first high school player and first female athlete to join the Klutch Athletics roster,” Aaliyah said. “In many ways, this is a dream come true for me to join a brand that is having such an impact on sport, culture and community. The product aligns perfectly with my needs and my style, and I’m thrilled to start the season in it.”
Aaliyah is a 6-1 junior guard for Minnetonka High in Minnetonka, Minn., where she is averaging 27 points, 10 rebounds and five steals per game this season for the 3-0 Skippers. She is the No. 1 ranked player in the state for the Class of 2025 by Prep Girls Hoops, and she played this past summer for the gold medal-winning USA Basketball Women’s U16 National Team at the FIBA Women’s U16 Americas Championship. As a member of that team, she averaged 9.0 points and 3.8 boards per game in helping USA to a 6-0 record and the gold medal.
“This is an exciting moment for Klutch Athletics, welcoming Aaliyah as the first high school player and first female athlete to join our roster,” said Rich Paul, Klutch Athletics Founder and CEO. “We’ve said from the beginning that we want to uplift and empower athletes across gender and sport, and adding an exceptional young talent like Aaliyah certainly helps advance that mission. She has a bright future ahead, and we look forward to supporting her journey with her team and in her community.”
Aaliyah joins University of Kentucky men’s basketball star Justin Edwards and NFL standouts Will Anderson Jr. (Houston Texans) and Chase Young (San Francisco 49ers) on Klutch Athletics’ growing athlete roster.
The Klutch Athletics by New Balance collection is available at select retail locations across North America and online at https://www.newbalance.com/klutch-athletics/. Suggested retail prices range from $40 for t-shirts to $120 for hoodies.
About Klutch Athletics
Klutch Athletics is a new sportswear brand founded by Rich Paul and co-authored with New Balance. The brand supports and serves all athletes throughout their athletic journey including youth, collegiate and professional sports. The launch collection for Klutch Athletics delivers high-quality training apparel meant to uplift and empower all athletes, regardless of gender or sport.
Introductory pieces in the Klutch Athletics apparel line deliver on the need for men’s, women’s and youth training apparel with style and functionality. The color inspiration comes from New Balance’s iconic greys, fading from the darkest to the lightest gray in the palette, delivering a compelling color narrative. The greys are complemented by a touch of green, representing where young athletes first fell in love with the game on their field of play.
About New Balance
New Balance, headquartered in Boston, MA, has the following purpose: Independent since 1906, we empower people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. Manufactured in the U.S. for more than 75 years and representing a limited portion of our U.S. sales, New Balance MADE U.S. is a premium collection that contains a domestic value of 70% or greater. New Balance owns five factories in New England and one in Flimby, U.K. New Balance employs 8,000 associates around the globe, and in 2022 reported worldwide sales of $5.3 billion. To learn more about New Balance, please visit www.newbalance.com and for the latest press information please visit http://newbalance.newsmarket.com.
