Linklater celebrating the 2019 CEBL Championship with the Saskatchewan Rattlers. (CEBL/Website)

By Austin Mattes

Basketball and Beyond

Honouring Michael Linklater: Indigenous basketball icon and youth advocate

Jul 15, 2025 | 4:36 PM

A standing ovation echoed through the SaskTel Centre on July 5 as the Province of Saskatchewan made a historic announcement, recognizing the day officially as Michael Linklater Day.

The honour celebrates the extraordinary impact that Michael Linklater, a basketball legend, community leader, and proud member of Thunderchild First Nation, has made on the sport and Indigenous youth across the province and beyond.

The announcement came as a surprise to Linklater himself.

“It all started with the Rattlers and Lee Genier,” Linklater recalled. “He told me at the beginning of the season that he wanted to have a game where he recognized me for all of my contributions. We had a discussion, and I thought about it because I’m not big on recognition, but he convinced me it would be good. Then, shortly before the game, he let me know that the provincial government and Minister of Sport declared it a full day across the province under my name. So, it was a big surprise to me.”

Linklater being honoured at the Rattlers game on July 5, 2025. (CEBL/Website)

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From humble beginnings to international acclaim, Linklater’s story is one of perseverance, purpose, and cultural pride.

Journey Rooted in Resilience

Despite his family being from Thunderchild First Nation in Turtleford, Saskatchewan, Linklater was born in Trenton, New Jersey, in 1982.

“Thunderchild is where our family is from. My mother was a part of the 60s Scoop, and that’s how she ended up in New Jersey,” Linklater said.

However, Linklater returned to Canada shortly after his birth, where he grew up and eventually moved to Saskatoon at 10 years old. It was during this time that basketball became his calling.

“Hockey wasn’t something that was feasible for me, but there was an outdoor basketball court at my elementary school. That’s what inspired me. It was accessible, and all you needed was a $5 rubber ball. I just fell in love with the game,” he said.

That love turned into excellence. At Mount Royal Collegiate, he was a multi-sport athlete and team captain, winning Athlete of the Year from Grades 9 to 11. By the end of high school, he had already started dreaming of the big stage.

“After I started playing basketball, I made the decision that I wanted to play at the highest level, and I visualized playing at the highest level,” he said.

Champion On the Court

After attending several post-secondary schools, Linklater made a life-changing decision to return home for his final year at the University of Saskatchewan.

“I wanted to play in front of my family, my kids, my grandparents, so that was one of the decisions to play my fifth year at U of S,” he explained.

The decision proved to be a good one as he went on to lead the Huskies to a historic first national championship under his captaincy in 2010, beating Carleton in the conference title game and then the University of British Columbia in the national final.

Linklater celebrating the 2010 championship win. (Huskie Athletics/Facebook)

“Nobody expected us to beat Carleton in the tournament. Everybody expected Carleton to win the national tournament because at that time, they had won like the last 13 of the 14 years. They were a powerhouse. So, when we beat them, it really shocked the country,” he said.

Following college, Linklater joined the Edmonton Energy of the International Basketball League and later emerged as a global force in the rapidly growing sport of 3×3 basketball. In 2013, his team earned a top-six finish at the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final in Istanbul, Turkey. At the 2017 FIBA 3×3 World Tour Masters tournament in Saskatoon, Linklater helped lead Team Saskatoon to the Final with a 4–0 record, where they lost to a team from Slovenia.

Linklater in action at a 3×3 tournament. (FIBA 3×3/Website)

At that time, Team Saskatoon was ranked fifth in the FIBA world rankings, and Linklater was the #1 ranked player in Canada and #9 in the world. This resulted in Linklater getting the honour to represent Team Canada at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup in 2018.

Then, in 2019, the dream came full circle when he joined the Saskatchewan Rattlers for their inaugural Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season.

“As a kid, I always wondered why Saskatoon didn’t have a professional team. It was something I had always wanted. Then, to get the chance to play on a professional team in your hometown is something that a lot of kids dream of. I wanted to play because it was important to me to show the representation of so many indigenous kids coming to watch those games, and to be able to see themselves in those players,” Linklater said.

Linklater in action with the Rattlers. (CEBL/Website)

The Rattlers then went on to win the league’s first-ever championship, right at home in Saskatoon, prompting Linklater’s retirement from basketball.

“It was a storybook ending to my career. Playing the national championship game in your hometown in front of your family, friends, and people you grew up with. It’s something that couldn’t have been scripted any better, and I’ll cherish it forever,” he said.

Beyond Basketball

Even while he was dominating the court, Linklater was planting seeds of change far beyond the gym. As the founder of the Boys With Braids campaign, he helped raise national awareness of the cultural significance of braided hair among Indigenous boys and men.

“When I was a kid, I was teased and bullied for having long hair. I almost cut it, but my mom convinced me not to. Decades later, my own kids faced the same thing. That’s when I knew something had to change,” said Linklater.

Following retirement, he shifted his focus to full-time advocacy and community leadership. He was elected to the council of Thunderchild First Nation and founded Prime Basketball Development, an initiative offering basketball clinics and life mentorship to Indigenous youth. His programs emphasize sobriety, wellness, and education.

Linklater coaching at the National Indigenous Basketball Camp 2024. (Michael Linklater/Instagram)

“I always thought, how can I use my platform to make a difference for our people?”

Recently, he also launched Sohkisiwin Solutions, a business that helps organizations implement truth and reconciliation strategies and build inclusive environments for Indigenous peoples.

Recognition of a Lifetime

Throughout his journey, Linklater has received numerous accolades: the Tom Longboat Award, the Chief of Police Award for Community Service, CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40 under 40, and more. Yet, to him, the greatest legacy lies in his family.

“Being a young person and having a family, and for them to be who they are today, this is my biggest achievement. I’m first generation sober, and now the fact that my kids are all grown up and they’re second generation sober, it’s very important to me and something I’m very proud of,” he said.

Now, with July 5 recognized as Michael Linklater Day in Saskatchewan, the province has chosen to honour not just an athlete but a trailblazer who has lifted communities, broken down barriers, and stood as a powerful example for Indigenous youth everywhere.

“If you’re being recognized or honoured with awards, you’re on the right path,” he said, humbly. “Whatever goals you set for yourself, they’re attainable, but it takes work, discipline, and sacrifice. If you are willing to do that, you can make anything happen.”

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Austin.mattes@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @AustinMattes