Jordan Brand has announced the addition of eight WNBA athletes bringing its total in the league to 11 endorsed athletes.
That makes it the largest Jordan Brand roster in WNBA history.
“The world needs female voices, and we can’t ignore that or else we’re not growing, “said Michael Jordan in a statement. “The Jordan Brand is committed to giving women a platform to amplify their voices, which influence, inspire and push culture forward.”
The huge announcement was made with a portrait of Michael Jordan with the brand’s active WNBA athletes: Jordin Canada, Te’a Cooper, Crystal Dangerfield, Chelsea Dungee, Arella Guirantes, Dearica Hamby, Kia Nurse, Aerial Powers and Satou Sabally.
Not included in the photo were Maya Moore and Asia Durr.
“Representation really matters at this point in time, says Seattle Storm point guard Jordin Canada. “To have eleven BLACK women be a part of this brand allows the younger generation and younger women to see that they can be like us — they can have that opportunity. I didn’t see growing up.”
The news comes on the heels of activism in the WNBA this season, which the statement says is in line with the Jordan brand.
On Sunday in Los Angeles, the league celebrated its 25th season as the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks played, it was a rematch of the league’s inaugural game in 1997.
Adding female basketball players to the roster is part of Jordan’s commitment to “championing Black community initiatives,” and they acknowledge that their newest additions embody that ideal and applaud the players’ use of their platforms to enact change.
“We don’t stick to our sport, “said Minnesota Lynx guard Crystal Dangerfield. We’re vocal in the league, as a whole, and we’re gonna bring it to the community — to leave things better than we found them.”
The athletes were chosen for both their success on the court and their social activism off of it.
Glad to see these young women aren’t just gonna “Shut Up and Dribble.”
