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- By Tribal Business News Staff
- Arts and Culture
Alissa Pili, a rookie with the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx basketball team, has signed an endorsement deal with Nike’s N7 brand.
N7 is a long-standing Nike initiative focused on empowering Native American and Indigenous communities through sport. Pili, who is of Iñupiat and Samoan descent, embodies the spirit of the program.
"I'm so honored to join the Nike Family as an N7 athlete," Pili said in a statement. "Representation is important to me, and I look forward to making an impact in the league and demonstrating to all the Indigenous and Polynesian girls who love the game that they can reach their dreams."
Pili's journey to the WNBA has been impressive. Drafted eighth overall by the Lynx in 2024, she was a standout athlete throughout her high school and college careers, accumulating numerous accolades, including three-time Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year and Pac-12 Player of the Year at the University of Utah.
Beyond her athletic prowess, Pili has used her platform to celebrate her heritage. She has drawn large crowds of young Indigenous and Polynesian fans, including over 100 Samoan supporters at the Lynx home opener. For the 2024 WNBA Draft, Pili donned a tribal-print dress designed by AAPI designer Jason Vu, a powerful statement of her Polynesian roots.
Nike N7 was launched in 2000 to elevate opportunities for Native American and Indigenous communities. Proceeds from the N7 Collection directly support the N7 Fund, which provides sports programs for Indigenous youth. Nike has donated nearly $11 million to some 300 organizations over the past 15 years through the N7 fund.
Following the Lynx game against the Phoenix Mercury on June 7, Pili connected with local Indigenous leaders, including Gila River Indian Community Governor Stephen Roe Lewis and dignitaries from other Arizona tribes.
Pili joins a group of Indigenous athletes who are part of the N7 family. This includes Olympic hammer thrower Janee Kassanavoid, a member of the Comanche Nation, and NBA star Kyrie Irving, whose mother is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
