Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Former Chicago Bulls Guard Brandon Sampson

April 26, 2024

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday the signing of American Guard Brandon Sampson for the upcoming 2024 CEBL season. 

 

A six-foot-five guard from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Sampson averaged 13.2 points across five seasons in the NBA G League. Recently, he completed a brief two-game stint with Hapoel Be’er Sheva in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, maintaining an average of 11.0 points in 26.0 minutes of play. 

 

Since beginning his professional career in 2018, Sampson has spent most of his playing career within the NBA G League, but has played in the NBA on 14 occasions, all during the 2018-19 season with the Chicago Bulls. After signing a two-way contract with Chicago in December of 2018, he made his NBA debut on January 30, 2019, putting up five points in a 105-89 win over the Miami Heat. He averaged 5.1 and 15.3 minutes in 14 games in the NBA and had two starts. Notably, he recorded 12 points on April 10 against the Sixers. 

 

Sampson is no stranger to the CEBL, having played for the Newfoundland Growlers in 2022. During his time with the team, he averaged 20.5 points and 32.3 minutes over 15 games, earning recognition on the All-CEBL Second Team. His achievements in the league include leading in free throw percentage (85.4%), ranking second in scoring (20.5), ninth in average steals (1.4), and sixth in average minutes (33.0). He recorded his best performance of the season on June 5 against the BlackJacks, scoring a career-high 42 points, with a shooting accuracy of four-for-five from three-point range and 12-for-13 from the charity stripe. 

 

Splitting the 2018-19 G League season between the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and the Windy City Bulls, Sampson had his best statistical campaign as a pro, averaging 16.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game across 37 games played with the two clubs. as a member of the Vipers, he scored a season-high 31 points, hitting five three-pointers on December 5 against the Clippers. 

 

Before beginning his professional career, Sampson played three seasons in the NCAA with his hometown team, the Louisiana State University (LSU) Tigers, where he was a part of the 2015 recruiting class alongside Brooklyn Nets guard Ben Simmons. 

 

Prior to committing to LSU, Sampson attended Madison Prep in Baton Rouge where he led his team to the state championship in his senior year. For his efforts, he earned “Mr. Basketball” honours for Louisiana in 2015, an annual award given to the top high school male basketball player in the state. 

 

The Ottawa BlackJacks 2024 single game tickets are on sale now at https://www.theblackjacks.ca/single-game-tickets. The team's fifth season will kick off at The Arena at TD Place on May 29, promising professional basketball and exciting entertainment in a family-friendly environment. For more information, please visit www.theblackjacks.ca or contact the Ottawa BlackJacks Membership Services team directly at 613-690-0519 or by email at [email protected]. 

 

Quotes: 

 

"I've heard great things about Ottawa's fans and team culture. I had the opportunity to play at TD Place back in 2022, but now I am excited to experience it as a BlackJacks player. I loved my experience in the CEBL and I'm looking forward to moving to Ottawa for the summer and meeting the rest of the team!” 

 

- Brandon Sampson, Guard, Ottawa BlackJacks 

 

“Brandon brings a wealth of experience from competing against top-tier talent in the NBA, as well as his extensive tenure in the NBA G League. He proved his leadership capabilities in the CEBL, landing in the top 10 across various categories during the 2022 season and delivering high-scoring performances against us. With his scoring ability, we're excited to welcome him to Ottawa.” 

 

- James Derouin, General Manager and Head Coach, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club 

 

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About the Ottawa BlackJacks 

The first expansion franchise of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Ottawa BlackJacks showcase the best of basketball and entertainment in the nation’s capital. The Ottawa front office brings NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. Led by General Manager and Head Coach James Derouin, Ottawa plays its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. The anticipation is building for the upcoming 2024 season, slated to tip off at home on May 29 against the Edmonton Stingers. For more information, visit www.theblackjacks.ca. 

 

About Canadian Elite Basketball League  

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 73% of its 2023 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Fourteen 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. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube. 

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The Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), are committed to making a positive impact through basketball and growing the game across British Columbia, and this dedication was highlighted this past week in Kelowna and the Okanagan area. Coming off the recent announcement of Kelowna HOOPFEST, a brand-new basketball festival featuring a CEBL neutral-site home game in partnership with the City of Kelowna, Bandits head coach Kyle Julius spent time at five Okanagan-area secondary schools and both of Kelowna’s post-secondary men’s basketball teams, as part of the Vancouver Bandits third-annual Bandits School Tour. Julius and Bandits staff visited Mount Boucherie Secondary School, Immaculata Regional High School, Okanagan Mission Secondary, Rutland Secondary School and Kelowna Secondary, as well as the men’s basketball teams at UBC Okanagan and Okanagan College, providing dedicated and tailored practices along with motivational talks and training materials. Launched in 2023, the Bandits School Tour is supported by the Bandits Community Foundation, Preston Chevrolet and Envision Financial and offers a unique opportunity for student-athletes and volunteer coaches to learn directly from BC’s only professional basketball coach. “What stood out most during our visit was the impact basketball can have when it is rooted in mentorship and connection; it is clear how vibrant the basketball and business ecosystem is in the Okanagan,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “We are thankful to the Okanagan and Kelowna communities for welcoming us so openly, and this is only the beginning. We are committed to being present and intentional in the lead-up to Kelowna HOOPFEST from June 5th to 7th.” In addition to the Bandits School Tour, Julius and members of Bandits staff had the opportunity to connect with various Okanagan business, media and community leaders, including attending the 51st annual Western Canada Tournament at Kelowna Secondary and a Kelowna Rockets hockey game. ###

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