2025 CEBL DRAFT CLASS ANNOUNCED
Twenty-seven U SPORTS, three CCAA student-athletes selected in three rounds
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday the results of the 2025 CEBL Draft that saw 30 Canadian student-athletes selected over three rounds from 25 Canadian post-secondary institutions.
For the first time, the selections were unveiled live on CEBL+ (plus.cebl.ca) via the ‘2025 CEBL Draft Reveal Show’ that began at 7 p.m. ET. The full replay of the show can be watched on CEBL+ Video-on-Demand as of April 12.
Each CEBL club made three selections total (one in each round) of either returning or graduating Canadian post-secondary players. The priority of selection in round one was the reverse order of how each team finished the 2024 regular season, and the following rounds reverted to a ‘snake format’ in reverse order of the previous round.
By the Numbers:
- 30 student-athletes selected from 25 different academic institutions
- 27 U SPORTS players / 3 CCAA players
- 21 first-time CEBL players / 9 returning CEBL players
- 21 different hometown cities represented from 7 different provinces
- 3 student-athletes selected from both Toronto Metropolitan University and St. Francis Xavier University (most from any school)
Results (By Round):
| OVR | TEAM | PLAYER | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL |
| 1 | Montréal Alliance | Sultan Haider Bhatti | Laval, QC | Brandon University (U SPORTS) |
| 2 | Brampton Honey Badgers | Yohann Sam | Brampton, ON | University of Windsor (U SPORTS) |
| 3 | Saskatchewan Rattlers | Declan Peterson | Bentley, AB | University of Calgary (U SPORTS) |
| 4 | Ottawa BlackJacks | Justin Ndjock-Tadjoré | Gatineau, QC | University of Ottawa (U SPORTS) |
| 5 | Winnipeg Sea Bears | Geoffrey James | Edmonton, AB | University of Victoria (U SPORTS) |
| 6 | Calgary Surge | DJ Jackson | Mississauga, ON | St. Francis Xavier University (U SPORTS) |
| 7 | Scarborough Shooting Stars | David Walker | Toronto, ON | Toronto Metropolitan University (U SPORTS) |
| 8 | Edmonton Stingers | Aaron Rhooms | Toronto, ON | Toronto Metropolitan University (U SPORTS) |
| 9 | Niagara River Lions | Gatluak James | Windsor, ON | St. Francis Xavier University (U SPORTS) |
| 10 | Vancouver Bandits | Nikola Guzina | Vancouver, BC | University of British Columbia (U SPORTS) |
| OVR | TEAM | PLAYER | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL |
| 11 | Vancouver Bandits | Mikyle Malabuyoc | Vancouver, BC | Western University (U SPORTS) |
| 12 | Niagara River Lions | Charles Robert | Vaudreuil-Dorion, QC | Bishop’s University (U SPORTS) |
| 13 | Edmonton Stingers | Liai Tong | St. John’s, NL | Cape Breton University (U SPORTS) |
| 14 | Scarborough Shooting Stars | Koat Thomas | Waterloo, ON | St. Francis Xavier University (U SPORTS) |
| 15 | Calgary Surge | Javier Gilgeous-Glasgow | Brampton, ON | Toronto Metropolitan University (U SPORTS) |
| 16 | Winnipeg Sea Bears | Mason Kraus | Winnipeg, MB | University of Manitoba (U SPORTS) |
| 17 | Ottawa BlackJacks | Alvin Icyogere | Ottawa, ON | Nipissing University (U SPORTS) |
| 18 | Saskatchewan Rattlers | Isaac Simon | Regina, SK | University of Alberta (U SPORTS) |
| 19 | Brampton Honey Badgers | Conner Landell | St. Catharines, ON | University of New Brunswick (U SPORTS) |
| 20 | Montréal Alliance | Liam Rietschin | Toronto, ON | York University (U SPORTS) |
| OVR | TEAM | PLAYER | HOMETOWN | SCHOOL |
| 21 | Montréal Alliance | Jaheem Joseph | Ottawa, ON | Concordia University (U SPORTS) |
| 22 | Brampton Honey Badgers | Mike Demagus | Scarborough, ON | McMaster University (U SPORTS) |
| 23 | Saskatchewan Rattlers | Easton Thimm | Saskatoon, SK | University of Saskatchewan (U SPORTS) |
| 24 | Ottawa BlackJacks | Malik Grant | Brampton, ON | Humber Polytechnic (CCAA) |
| 25 | Winnipeg Sea Bears | Brendan Amoyaw | Winnipeg, MB | McMaster University (U SPORTS) |
| 26 | Calgary Surge | William Tong | Calgary, AB | Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (CCAA) |
| 27 | Scarborough Shooting Stars | Samuel Wong | Toronto, ON | Centennial College (CCAA) |
| 28 | Edmonton Stingers | Jalen Shirley | Brampton, ON | University of British Columbia Okanagan (U SPORTS) |
| 29 | Niagara River Lions | Thierry Tshibola | Québec City, QC | Brock University (U SPORTS) |
| 30 | Vancouver Bandits | David Mutabazi | Delta, BC | Trinity Western University (U SPORTS) |
For more information on each player selected in the 2025 CEBL Draft, please visit cebl.ca/cebl-draft-2025-results.
The seventh season of the CEBL tips off May 11 when the Calgary Surge travel to Edmonton to take on the Stingers in the Battle of Alberta. A total of 120 regular season games fill the 2025 campaign, leading to playoffs that begin August 14. Championship Weekend, which features the league’s top four teams during the regular season vying for the league title, will be held at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, August 22-24. Season tickets and flex packs are now available league wide with priority seating access and preferred pricing. Ticket information for all CEBL games, including single-game tickets, can be found by visiting cebl.ca/tickets and cebl.ca/cw25/tickets.
- CEBL -
About the CEBL
A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+, TSN, TSN+,RDS, Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
About U SPORTS
U SPORTS is the national brand for university sports in Canada. Every year, over 15,500 student-athletes and 700 coaches vie for 23 national championships in 13 different sports. U SPORTS also provides high performance international opportunities at FISU Winter and Summer World University Games, World University Championships, University World Cups and various educational initiatives. U SPORTS works in collaboration with 58 members and four conferences as well as the Canadian sport system and Corporate Canada on the growth and delivery of university sport to student-athletes across the country.
About Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association
The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association is the national governing body for organized sports at the collegiate level in Canada. The CCAA enriches the academic experiences of student-athletes by providing leadership, programs and services that foster development through high-level competitive opportunities in intercollegiate sport. CCAA student-athletes compete in seven sports at 10 CCAA national championships,
each hosted by one of the 95 CCAA member institutions (colleges, universities, technical institutes and cégeps) located in nine provinces. In addition to governing the national championships, the CCAA also provides national awards and recognition to CCAA student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors and member institutions. For more information, please visit ccaa.ca.
Media Contacts:
Aaron Gogishvili – Sr. Director, Communications & Community Relations
Canadian Elite Basketball League
(905) 730-4691 | a[email protected]
Kyle Warrener – Manager, Communications & Content
Canadian Elite Basketball League
(905) 870-1262 | [email protected]
John Bower – Director, Marketing and Communications
U SPORTS
780-667-5646 | [email protected]
Nancy Paquette, Manager, Communications and Events
Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association
(613) 363-3133 | [email protected]