Michael Linklater

Athlete, Founder of Boys with Braids, Community Leader

Biography

Michael Linklater, a proud Nehiyaw (Cree) father from Thunderchild First Nation in Treaty 6 Territory, is one of Canada’s most celebrated Indigenous athletes and advocates. He led the University of Saskatchewan Huskies to their first-ever national basketball championship in 2010, represented Team Canada at the FIBA 3×3 World Cup, and helped the Saskatchewan Rattlers win the inaugural Canadian Elite Basketball League championship in 2019. Off the court, he founded Boys with Braids, an international campaign promoting the cultural significance of braids for Indigenous boys and men, and co-founded Sôhkisiwin Solutions, focusing on strategies aligned with Truth and Reconciliation. In 2024, he and his son, Amari, made history as the first Indigenous father-son team to compete on The Amazing Race Canada.

Partner

Michael Linklater will be performing with Lexi Hradecki