Pro basketball players Amy Atwell and Keanu Pinder share their love of the game and how they pass it on to Western Australian communities, thanks to our partnerships with the Perth Wildcats and Perth Lynx.
Pro’ basketball players Amy Atwell and Keanu Pinder share their love of the game and how they pass it on to Western Australian communities, thanks to our partnerships with the Perth Wildcats and Perth Lynx.
“Outside of the city, it can be hard for kids to get exposure to basketball, the skills and the facilities, so what Rio does through these partnerships is so important.”
“Outside of the city, it can be hard for kids to get exposure to basketball, the skills and the facilities, so what Rio does through these partnerships is so important.”
Western Australians love sport. This is especially the case for kids in remote and regional communities, where opportunities can sometimes be limited. Team sports play an important role. They’re a space for socialising. For entertainment. For personal growth.
Western Australians love sport. This is especially the case for kids in remote and regional communities, where opportunities can sometimes be limited. Team sports play an important role. They’re a space for socialising. For entertainment. For personal growth.
Perth Wildcats player Keanu Pinder helps us to bring basketball clinics to regional communities.
Perth Wildcats player Keanu Pinder helps us to bring basketball clinics to regional communities.
Perth Wildcats player Keanu Pinder helps us to bring basketball clinics to regional communities.
Perth Wildcats player Keanu Pinder helps us to bring basketball clinics to regional communities.
Perth Wildcats player Keanu Pinder helps us to bring basketball clinics to regional communities.
Perth Wildcats player Keanu Pinder helps us to bring basketball clinics to regional communities.
Meet Keanu and Amy
Keanu Pinder is a professional player for the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League (NBL). He represented Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup and was named the NBL’s most improved player in 2022 and 2023. Amy Atwell is the Co-captain of Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) team, the Perth Lynx, and an Olympic Bronze medallist – having represented Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Both had a similar journey to reaching the elite level of the sport. They started at local clubs, joined state teams and then spent time in the United States to further their skills.
How their journeys started, however, couldn’t be more different.
“Growing up, I played a bit of everything,” Amy said.
“My older cousins played basketball, but it was my Dad who suggested I try it.
“He came home one day when I was about 7 or 8 and asked if I was interested. I said, ‘Why not?’ And from day one, basketball just felt right to me.”
For Keanu, his introduction to the court was less of a personal choice.
“My Mum actually forced me to play basketball – I used to watch my sister play in a mixed team,” he said.
“On my 10th birthday, I was at Altone Park to watch her and all of a sudden, my Mum handed me a jersey and said, ‘Jump on the court’, so I did.
“I made some cool moves and I was so happy with it!
“It was a surprise to me and after that, I fell in love with basketball.”
Meet Keanu and Amy
Keanu Pinder is a professional player for the Perth Wildcats in the National Basketball League (NBL). He represented Australia at the FIBA Asia Cup and was named the NBL’s most improved player in 2022 and 2023. Amy Atwell is the Co-captain of Women's National Basketball League (WNBL) team, the Perth Lynx, and an Olympic Bronze medallist – having represented Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Both had a similar journey to reaching the elite level of the sport. They started at local clubs, joined state teams and then spent time in the United States to further their skills.
How their journeys started, however, couldn’t be more different.
“Growing up, I played a bit of everything,” Amy said.
“My older cousins played basketball, but it was my Dad who suggested I try it.
“He came home one day when I was about 7 or 8 and asked if I was interested. I said, ‘Why not?’ And from day one, basketball just felt right to me.”
For Keanu, his introduction to the court was less of a personal choice.
“My Mum actually forced me to play basketball – I used to watch my sister play in a mixed team,” he said.
“On my 10th birthday, I was at Altone Park to watch her and all of a sudden, my Mum handed me a jersey and said, ‘Jump on the court’, so I did.
“I made some cool moves and I was so happy with it!
“It was a surprise to me and after that, I fell in love with basketball.”
Going pro with the right support
Our partnerships with the Wildcats and Lynx are all about connecting communities through the love of the game. They’re also about elevating women in sport – we're passionate about removing barriers for women no matter the industry. Everyone should have an equal chance to succeed based on their capabilities and potential. We’re helping the Perth Lynx operate at their maximum sanctioned salary cap, so that players like Amy get paid to focus on their work on the court.
“One thing players, especially women players, can face in professional sport is not being able to focus entirely on our game because we can’t afford to,” Amy said.
“It’s been a huge struggle for so many in the past.
“Rio Tinto supports our programs so that we can keep striving and building to have all contracted players as full-time athletes without the need to have a second job.”
Amy Atwell, co-captain for the Perth Lynx, is passionate about elevating women’s sport.
Amy Atwell, co-captain for the Perth Lynx, is passionate about elevating women’s sport.
Amy Atwell, co-captain for the Perth Lynx, is passionate about elevating women’s sport.
Amy Atwell, co-captain for the Perth Lynx, is passionate about elevating women’s sport.
Going pro with the right support
Our partnerships with the Wildcats and Lynx are all about connecting communities through the love of the game. They’re also about elevating women in sport – we're passionate about removing barriers for women no matter the industry. Everyone should have an equal chance to succeed based on their capabilities and potential. We’re helping the Perth Lynx operate at their maximum sanctioned salary cap, so that players like Amy get paid to focus on their work on the court.
“One thing players, especially women players, can face in professional sport is not being able to focus entirely on our game because we can’t afford to,” Amy said.
“It’s been a huge struggle for so many in the past.
“Rio Tinto supports our programs so that we can keep striving and building to have all contracted players as full-time athletes without the need to have a second job.”
“You see how happy these kids are and you remember your own excitement at that age. Nothing beats it.”
“You see how happy these kids are and you remember your own excitement at that age. Nothing beats it.”
Connecting remote and regional communities
Our workforce lives and works across WA and our basketball partnerships are a wonderful opportunity to better connect elite athletes with the communities we’re part of.
Keanu was born in Derby, in the top end of WA. He knows how much community basketball clinics can do for kids in the regions.
“Sports give the kids something to do and look forward to in a small town,” Keanu said.
“Rio helped the Wildcats hold a clinic in Derby recently.
“Even the kids who don’t play basketball showed up to get involved or watch.”
Keanu said more kids are moving from football to basketball.
“Day or night, you’ll find them at the courts,” he said.
“Small towns are putting together multiple teams and I think they’re starting to see it offers great opportunities for them.”
A great deal of equipment was needed to make the Derby clinic possible, and we were proud to help.
“It couldn’t have happened without support from them [Rio] and Derby Shire,” he said.
“Rio is also partnering with regional councils to build more courts, which is great, because the teams are going to need them!”
Through our long-standing partnership with the Shire of Ashburton, we opened new multipurpose undercover courts in Paraburdoo and Tom Price in 2023.
And we also support many local and regional basketball teams with sporting equipment across WA, as part of our Community Giving program. Amy also said she finds the Rio-supported clinics rewarding.
“You walk out of them with a really good feeling,” she said.
“You remember what it was like to be in their shoes, to have players come in and share their knowledge.”
Heroes show the way
In 2024, Rio Tinto also teamed up with players from the Wildcats and Lynx to hold a range of clinics for kids and adults in Karratha.
The kids, in particular, enjoyed speaking to the pro players – and Keanu’s niece was one of them.
Keanu said he was proud to see her have fun.
“This isn’t just something I want to do for the rest of my career,” he said.
“It’s something I want to do for the rest of my life.
“Giving these kids opportunities, helping them chase their dreams and maybe inspiring them to become professional basketball players.
“That’s what partnerships like the one between the Wildcats, Lynx and Rio make possible.”
In WA, we’re helping to deliver the next generation of talent. We’re giving emerging athletes aged 14 to 19 the opportunity to join the Rio Tinto Wildcats Academy and develop under coaches and staff. One of Keanu’s current team members, Thomas Gerovich, recently got his start with the Wildcats after being part of the Academy. We're also supporting development pathways for emerging young women through the Lynx Academy program.
“You can’t be what you can’t see.”
“You can’t be what you can’t see.”
Amy’s closest friends are people she played basketball with when she was young. She said basketball has an impact not just for players on the court, but off it too.
“It’s like becoming part of a family,” she said.
”Having people around you, supporting you and sharing your ambitions and goals, it pushes you to be the best version of yourself, not just in sports.”
The importance of that connection is especially important for young girls.
They’re starting to see themselves more widely represented in basketball.
“You can’t be what you can’t see,” Amy said.
“The popularity of women’s sport is so different to what it was when I was a kid.
“So we show them the pathways to playing professionally and say, ‘Hey, I was once in your position. I went to camps hoping to learn everything I could. Now I’m here and you can be too’.”
Amy’s hope is that we can continue making professional basketball a full-time option for women and young girls across Australia.
“We’re so lucky Rio helps in giving us that opportunity and for helping the next generation see what’s possible,” she said.
“The level and quality of the game will improve in leaps and bounds when people know they can make a living from playing basketball.”
Read more of our ‘into’ stories
Read more about the Perth Wildcats.
Read more about the Perth Lynx.
Meet Mel and Nathan. Mel’s a production superintendent at Yandicoogina mine, while Nathan’s a mining operations manager at Marandoo.
Meet Frank. He’s a fixed plant laboratory supervisor at Gudai-Darri mine, the most technologically-advanced sampling lab in the southern hemisphere.
Meet Keanu and Amy. These local basketball legends are doing amazing work for kids in regional towns across WA.
Meet Martha. She works for our partners at Bullivants. As a field service technician, Martha makes sure people get home safe at the end of the day.
Meet Michael. He’s a Traditional Owner of Yindjibarndi Country in the Pilbara region of WA, and the CEO of the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation.
It’s no coincidence that our name includes the title of this series – ‘into’. From Perth to the Pilbara, we work with a diverse range of incredible people.
