Aaliyah Crump

Aaliyah Crump broke new ground while in high school – becoming New Balance's first high school NIL athlete and first female to join the brand as an ambassador. The news came to no surprise to those that know Crump well. She's been a trailblazer on the basketball court for years now. "Aaliyah is very athletic and oozes with potential," Minnetonka coach Brian Cosgriff told the Star Tribune. "She has become a much better communicator with her teammates and coaches." Some of that better communication came after she helped USA Basketball Women’s U16 National Team win the gold medal at the 2023 FIBA Women’s U16 Americas Championship. "That was the most I have ever been challenged," Crump said. "You are not always going to have a good day. You have to stick with it, move on after a bad day and come back stronger the next day. It really helped my mental toughness. I used to be an introvert. It made me meet new people, come out of my shell." During her junior season in high school, Crump averaged 24.5 points, seven rebounds, three assists and 2.3 steals and was named the state player of the year.