2024 CEBL Draft Class Announced
Published
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced the results of the 2024 CEBL Draft Thursday that saw 30 Canadian student-athletes selected over three rounds from 20 Canadian post-secondary institutions.
In March, the CEBL announced a newly rebranded and expanded draft format beginning in 2024 that includes all eligible Canadian U SPORTS and Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) student-athletes. The CEBL Draft presents a coveted opportunity for top players in U SPORTS and the CCAA to get a chance to experience professional basketball by practicing and playing alongside veteran pros from the NBA, NBA G League, Canadian National team, and top international leagues.
Each CEBL club made three selections total (one in each round) in 2024 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 2023 regular season, and the following rounds reverted to a ‘snake format’ in reverse order of the previous round.
Some highlights from the 2024 CEBL Draft include the following:
The Montréal Alliance drafted three local players including Ismaël Diouf (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu) with the first overall pick, Bahaïde Haïdara (Montréal) and Renoldo Robinson (Montréal). Diouf led Laval University to the 2024 U SPORTS Men’s Basketball National Championship and was named MVP of the tournament. Haïdara was named a 2024 RSEQ First Team All-Star at the Université du Québec à Montréal.
The Brampton Honey Badgers selected three returning CEBL development players, including Callum Baker, Cole Syllas and David Walker. Baker was the 2024 OUA MVP and a First Team All Canadian at the University of Toronto. Walker was a finalist for the CEBL’s 2023 U SPORTS Player of the Year Award last season with the Scarborough Shooting Stars.
Elias Ralph, a 2024 Canada West Second Team All-Star and three-time Canada West Champion (2022, 2023, 2024) was selected by the Saskatchewan Rattlers with the third overall pick. The Rattlers used their next two picks on returning local players Alexander Dewar (Saskatoon) and Isaac Simon (Regina).
The Vancouver Bandits selected three local players, including Adam Olsen (Surrey), Jerric Palma (Richmond) and Connor Platz (Langley).
The Ottawa BlackJacks selected two players from the University of Ottawa, including Dragan Stajic and Justin Ndjock-Tadjoré.
Malcolm Christie, the 2024 AUS MVP and a First Team All-Canadian at Dalhousie University, and Koat Thomas, the 2024 AUS Rookie of the Year and U SPORTS All-Rookie Team member from St. Francis Xavier University, were selected by Scarborough with the sixth overall and 15th overall picks, respectively.
Taye Donald, a 2024 Second Team All Canadian and First Team OUA All-Star at Wilfrid Laurier University, and Nate Petrone, a 2024 First Team All-Canadian and Canada West First Team All-Star from the University of Calgary, were selected by the Edmonton Stingers with the 16th and 25th overall picks, respectively.
The Winnipeg Sea Bears brought back 2023 CEBL U SPORTS Player of the Year and back-to-back (2023, 2024) Canada West First Team All-Star Simon Hildebrandt from the University of Manitoba with the eighth overall pick.
The Calgary Surge selected Dondre Reddick out of St. Francis Xavier University with the ninth overall pick. Reddick was a 2024 Second Team All-Canadian and First Team AUS All-Star.
The Niagara River Lions drafted 2024 U SPORTS Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All Canadian Luka Syllas from Queen’s University with the 11th overall pick. The team also made CEBL history by drafting Jerry Jr. Mercury out of Mohawk College with the 30th overall selection, making him the league’s first-ever CCAA draft pick.
For more information on each player selected in the 2024 CEBL Draft, please visit cebl.ca/cebl-draft-2024-results.
The 2024 CEBL season tips off Tuesday, May 21 at 7 p.m. local / 9 p.m. ET when the Calgary Surge host provincial rival the Edmonton Stingers in a nationally televised (TSN) game at Scotiabank Saddledome. Season tickets and flex packs are now available league wide with priority seating access and preferred pricing. Ticket information for all CEBL games can be found by visiting cebl.ca/tickets.
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