Representatives of all 10 clubs will convene through a virtual platform for the two-round draft prior to their selections being made public April 19. The order of selection will be based on the order of the official launch dates of the three new expansion teams followed by the reverse order of finish in the 2021 regular season standings.

As was the case in 2021, draft eligible U SPORTS players may have completed their university eligibility in 2020-21, or they may be returning to their university team in the fall and be classified within the CEBL’s U SPORTS Developmental player program. They must qualify as Canadian, and they must have completed at least one full year of eligibility at their U SPORTS institution.

Order for Round 1:

1. Scarborough Shooting Stars
2. Montreal Alliance
3. Newfoundland Growlers
4. Saskatchewan Rattlers
5. Ottawa BlackJacks
6. Guelph Nighthawks
7. Fraser Valley Bandits
8. Hamilton Honey Badgers
9. Niagara River Lions
10. Edmonton Stingers

Order for Round 2:

1. Edmonton Stingers
2. Niagara River Lions
3. Hamilton Honey Badgers
4. Fraser Valley Bandits
5. Guelph Nighthawks
6. Ottawa BlackJacks
7. Saskatchewan Rattlers
8. Newfoundland Growlers
9. Montreal Alliance
10. Scarborough Shooting Stars

The 2021 CEBL U SPORTS Draft Class saw elite U SPORTS talent play and train alongside top CEBL professionals with experience playing in premier pro leagues from around the world, including the NBA, NBA G League, and top international FIBA leagues. Notably, two-time CEBL U SPORTS Player Of The Year Lloyd Pandi (Niagara River Lions), award nominee Alain Louis (Ottawa BlackJacks), and 2021 CEBL U SPORTS Draft pick Grant Shepherd (Niagara River Lions) won the 2021-22 U SPORTS National Championship with Carleton University. Pandi won the 2021-22 U SPORTS Men’s Basketball Player Of The Year Award, while Louis received the 2021-22 U SPORTS Final 8 Men’s MVP honours.

The CEBL, which tips off its fourth season May 25, is Canada’s largest professional sports league with 10 teams located in six provinces from coast to coast. A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 per cent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players and coaches bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

Quotes:
“The pool of basketball talent across U SPORTS continues to impress and I am excited to watch this year’s Draft class on CEBL courts this season,” said Mike Morreale, Commissioner & CEO of the CEBL. “More CEBL teams means more opportunities for our homegrown university stars to be a part of what promises to be an exciting CEBL season coat to coast.”

“We are very excited for the fourth annual CEBL-U SPORTS Draft,” said Lisette Johnson-Stapley, Chief Sports Officer, U SPORTS. “For the past three seasons, the CEBL has provided U SPORTS student-athletes a chance to pursue their careers at the professional level while playing in their home country. This unique opportunity just adds to the tremendous growth of basketball in Canada.”