Michael Linklater

Michael Linklater (born September 25, 1982) is a retired Canadian basketball player. He last played for the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He is a Nehiyaw (Cree). Linklater received the 2018 Tom Longboat Award, which recognizes Aboriginal athletes "for their outstanding contributions to sport in Canada". He won the 2018 Inspire Award in the sports category.

Early life

Linklater was born in Trenton, New Jersey, on September 25, 1982. He is a Nehiyaw (Cree) and a descendant of the Thunderchild First Nation, located on Treaty 6 Territory. Linklater was raised by his great-aunt Maria, and her husband, Walter, who became his legal guardians in Thunder Bay, Ontario. At age 10, both he and his guardians moved to Saskatoon. At 2, he legally changed his last name to Linklater, matching his legal guardians.

Linklater learned how to play basketball in grade school. He attended an inner-city school and was exposed to alcohol and drug abuse from an early age in both his community and in his extended family. His birth mother struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, both of his grandparents died of alcoholism and his half-brother lost his life in his early 20s.

Linklater attended Mount Royal Collegiate. He won Athlete of the Year in grades 9 through 11, competed on both the track & field and the cross country teams, and captained both the football and basketball teams. After graduating from Mount Royal, he attended junior college at the United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota, where he played basketball.

For his second year of post-secondary eligibility, Linklater returned to take classes in the Nutrition program at Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary. After a year off due to an injury, Linklater transferred to Lakeland College in Lloydminster, Alberta, where he again played basketball. He finished his post-secondary playing career at the University of Saskatchewan where, in 2009–10, the basketball team won its only CanWest Conference Championship and Canadian Intercollegiate Sport (now U Sports) National Championship under his captaincy.

Career Linklater played for the Edmonton Energy of the International Basketball League. He entered and won a 3-on-3 tournament in Edmonton, advancing with his team to the World Tour Finals in Istanbul where they finished sixth.

Linklater was one of Canada’s best 3-on-3 basketball players; in 2017 he was ranked first in the country and ninth in the world. At the 2017 FIBA 3x3 World Tour Masters tournament in Saskatoon, Linklater helped lead Team Saskatoon to the Final with a 4–0 record, where they lost to Ljubljana. At that time, Team Saskatoon was ranked 5th in the FIBA world rankings.

The Rattlers and the Province of Saskatchewan declared July 5, 2025 to be Michael Linklater day as a celebration of his basketball accomplishments and contributions but also recognizing his community involvement particularly working with First Nations youth. Michael was celebrated during a half time presentation and remained after the game to meet fans, take pictures and sign autographs. The game was won by the Rattlers 93-90 in dramatic fashion as they came back to win over the Ottawa Blackjacks after being down 82-71 at the start of target score time.

Advocacy Linklater founded a campaign called Boys With Braids to raise awareness of the cultural significance of braided hair as worn by indigenous boys and men. His aim was to educate all on the importance and significance of indigenous traditions. Prime Basketball Development holds clinics and educates indigenous youth in both basketball and the importance of living a healthy and sober lifestyle. Tom Longboat Award (2018), in the men’s category, awarded to Aboriginal athletes for their outstanding contributions to sport in Canada.