Klutch Athletics by New Balance Signs Aaliyah Crump, Its First Female Athlete and High School NIL Signing

Klutch Athletics by New Balance has signed its first high school NIL athlete, who is also the brand’s first female ambassador: Aaliyah Crump.

Crump’s career in basketball may be young, but she is already quite accomplished. The hooper won a gold medal with the USA Basketball Women’s U16 National Team at the 2023 FIBA Women’s U16 Americas Championship, and she is the No. 1 ranked player in Minnesota for the Class of 2025 by Prep Girls Hoops. (Crump is ranked No. 6 in the U.S. in the espnW Rankings Class of 2025.)

What’s more, Crump, a 6-foot-1 junior guard for Minnetonka High in Minnetonka, Minn., is currently averaging 27 points, 10 rebounds and 5 steals per game this season.

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“It’s an unbelievable honor for me to become the first high school player and first female athlete to join the Klutch Athletics roster,” Crump said in a statement. “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.”

Crump is the latest athlete to join Klutch Athletics by New Balance, the sportswear brand founded by Klutch Sports Group founder and agent Rich Paul that was revealed in February. Most recently, Klutch Athletics by New Balance signed University of Kentucky men’s basketball player Justin Edwards in November, and in April, the brand signed its first athlete, NFL star Chase Young.

“This is an exciting moment for Klutch Athletics, welcoming Aaliyah as the first high school player and first female athlete to join our roster,” Paul said in a statement. “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.”