why I play
Why I Play
To take our #RaiseTheGame campaign to the next level, we have teamed up with real-life basketball Superwoman Sali (@Sali_7), a true baller who not only puts in daily work with charity basketball organizations across Paris, but also drops regular collabs with Nike; she even designed her own pair of Jordan Kyrie 7’s! Wow.
Sali’s ability to guide and inspire young players is what makes her true Foot Locker family. Read on to hear how her teammates Aby, Aminata and Mawatta’s lives have been shaped by our beautiful game.
Aminata
“My name is Aminata Traore. I am 25 years old. I have been playing club basketball for over a decade. This helped me thrive massively over the years. Playing in so many competitions has had a huge, motivational effect on my education. Winning tournaments has built my self-confidence and I have also learned how to apply my on-court determination to my work and succeed in my studies as well”.
Aby
“I am 22 and I was born in 18th arrondissement. I have been playing for five years. Basketball has changed my life! It helped me discover a whole new world of sisterhood. It’s exciting to meet people from so many different backgrounds, lots of whom I would probably never have spoken to before but have ended up playing a big part in guiding my life in some way. This is why I want to share my passion and pass the love on to those younger than myself”.
Mawatta
“Basketball had a positive impact for me because it helped me put important values such as sharing, humility and understanding, first. The game allows me to surpass myself and reconsider what I think I am able to achieve. For example, like in life there can be a lack of fairness in basketball, especially when it comes to the development of the players, but I keep playing because I know that as long as I stay in the game, I can fulfill my goals by doing my part to fix what is wrong”.
