Klutch Athletics by New Balance Highlights Their Athlete Roster During Youth Clinic at Masaryk Community Gym
At first glance from the corner of Rivington and Columbia, the Masaryk Community Gym looks like it’s hidden behind a giant white brick wall. That’s kind of because it is. Home to the collaborative project of Aimé Leon Dore and New Balance, the building juts out onto the sidewalk as a beacon for the Lower East Side’s hoops community. The colorless bricks that face the pavement are illuminated by a painted mural that depicts the action taking place on the second floor.
After buzzing in at the front door and ascending the carpeted staircase, you’ll find one of the most intimate hardwood settings in New York City. Warm wooden hues and distinct hits of evergreen along the wall padding illuminate the space that, in late March, was engulfed by the sounds of New Balance TWO WXY v5s striking the court. Klutch Athletics by New Balance had completely taken over the space, stamped by the appearance of their star-studded athlete roster.
The trio of five stars stood out immediately at the youth clinic, and not just because they were decked out in either lime or yellow woven Klutch Athletics gear and towering over the kids they were swinging the rock to during drills. Aaliyah Crump, Isiah Harwell and Caleb Wilson represent more than a collection of elite high school-level talent; they’re the embodiment of the ethos that the sportswear brand has envisioned for the future.
“At the highest level, we want to inspire and enable those that have an athlete mindset to be their best selves. Klutch is more than a brand, it’s about coming together for positive change,” says Pat Cassidy, President at Klutch Athletics by New Balance. “We want everyone in the communities we touch to feel empowered to achieve whatever goals they set out for themselves. There are a number of ways we can do that, from product to community engagement to providing tools to succeed, and we have no shortage of ideas of what’s to come from us—stay tuned.”
Community was at the center of that Friday afternoon with the soon-to-be incoming freshmen at the forefront. Aaliyah (heading to Texas), Isiah (playing at Houston) and Caleb (going to North Carolina) descended on the gym with the mindset of giving back. With the youngins at one basket and the older kids shooting at the other, the three athletes split their time between the two halves, coaching the kids up during drills before sharing their insights and advice during a panel discussion. And with as much as these three have already accomplished—most recently being named McDonald’s All-Americans—there were mad amounts of wisdom to take in.
Aaliyah made history in December 2023 when she became the first female athlete and high school player to join Klutch Athletics by New Balance. The No. 5 player in the class of 2025, (according to ESPN) was quickly joined by Caleb (No. 7) and Isiah (No. 13), who announced their signings later that summer. And for the past year, all three have been cooking at their high schools while setting the foundation for the brand’s mission to uplift and empower athletes across gender and sport. And when they’re not dropping buckets on the opposing team, they’re getting their own games right in the brand’s elevated performance pieces, a number of which were on display throughout the gym that Friday.
A sea of black and white Klutch Athletics t-shirts and gray tricot shorts filled the confines of the court while Aaliyah, Caleb and Isiah sported a preview of the Spring ’25 collection. With an assortment of pieces arriving at retail on April 10, we sat down with Klutch Athletics’ athlete roster to learn more about their journey with the brand, how they’re giving back and the future of their partnerships.
SLAM: It’s been a minute since each of you signed with the brand. How would you sum up your experience as a Klutch athlete thus far?
Aaliyah Crump: Basketball is really important to me, but they’ve allowed me to kind of venture off into different parts of it. And I think they just really care about me as a person and care about all the things that I have going for me. So, I just think it’s been really cool to be a part of Klutch. And obviously this is one of the first NIL things that I did. I think they’ve just been supportive through it all, supportive through community give back and whatever things that I’m trying to do to help my community and give back to people that care for me.
Isiah Harwell: It’s amazing. I get to talk to everybody. They’re all just friendly, a friendly vibe. It’s been great. They’ve helped me, on and off the court. They give me motivation and advice, because I got hurt before, to get through stuff, surgery. They talked me through it and helped me get stuff done.
Caleb Wilson: My experience has been great with Klutch. We’ve been partners for a long time. They’ve asked to help me in different ways, and they’ve also helped my team. That was something that was really good for me, being able to give some Klutch Athletics by New Balance gear to my basketball team in my high school, and they were really appreciative of it. Also, when I went down to Boston for Hoop Hall, I was also able to give some gear to my team then. They’ve definitely been supportive, and I appreciate them very much for this new partnership that we have.
SLAM: You’re all rocking pieces from the new Klutch Athletics by New Balance collection. From fit to materials and overall feel, what has been your favorite aspect of training in the brand’s performance essentials?
AC: I think it’s really versatile, the colors that they choose. I think they’re colors that us athletes and just kids these days love to wear. I love that I can wear them on the court, wear them off the court. Like I said, it’s a versatile product that I can really wear wherever and whenever. So I’m loving it.
IH: I ain’t going to lie, I like it a lot. All the shoes feel good, clothes fit good, they feel good, too. Everything’s breathable, it’s actually nice to hoop in it.
CW: I’m a guy that has always liked color, so coming up with more diverse colors, especially from New Balance, is really cool. But it’s really comfortable, lightweight, you can do a lot of stuff in it. You can wear it as a style. You can wear it to work out in. It’s really versatile. Also, it looks good. It’s layered really good with the colors. That’s all that matters.
SLAM: Aaliyah, you had the opportunity to surprise your Montverde squad with some Klutch Athletics by New Balance gear mid-season. What did that moment tell you about the brand’s commitment to spotlighting the next generation?
AC: They really care about the family feel. And I just think that’s really important. Like, us athletes, we want to give back to people that care for us the most and support us the most. And I think it means a lot that they’re willing to support me in that and give me the tools and gear and stuff to help out those people.
SLAM: Isiah, when you look toward the future of this partnership, what are some ways that you’re hoping to give back and put your hometown of Pocatello, ID, on the map?
IH: Mostly building up myself so I can be in a position to help other people. Being able to give back is a really good blessing. It makes you feel good inside when you get to help other people. You wish you had somebody helping you as you did growing up.
SLAM: Caleb, last summer you got to tour the New Balance headquarters after you signed. What was one thing that you were surprised to learn about the brand?
CW: Just how much they have going on. Coming to New Balance, we’re up and coming on the basketball side. But just going to that track and seeing how big they are in the track and field market…soccer, with the football cleats, tennis, all huge sports. And just showing that they’re all intertwined between all these sports and have a relationship with all the top athletes throughout these sports.
Photos via Klutch Athletics.
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