Calgary Surge Sign Kylor Kelley
CALGARY, AB – The Calgary Surge have signed seven-foot center Kylor Kelley from Gervais, OR for their 2023 inaugural season, the team announced Friday.
Kelley most recently played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) G-League for the Raptors 905 where he averaged 7.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.3 blocks and 15.3 minutes in 21 games.
“Kylor has a chance to be the best defensive player in the CEBL. He is a legitimate rim protector and shot blocker that will provide a presence in the paint. With Kylor’s motor skills and athleticism, he’s a lob threat offensively. He is a very exciting player to watch and will be very impactful for us,” said Surge General Manager, Shane James.
The Gervais, Oregon local spent his four college seasons split between the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association (NJCAA) at Lane Community College and Oregon State University. He averaged 9.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 3.9 blocks and 26.9 minutes in 91 games during his four college seasons. In his last season at Oregon State University, he broke his own Pac-12 record in blocks with 107 blocks. He was also named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team for the second year in a row.
About the Calgary Surge
The Calgary franchise originated as the Guelph Nighthawks in 2018, one of the six founding members of the CEBL. The organization was relocated from the league’s smallest market to Calgary in August 2022 as part of the growing league's business strategy to have teams in Canada’s largest metropolitan areas. Chairman Usman Tahir Jutt and Vice-Chairman and President Jason Ribeiro saw an opportunity to bridge Calgary’s diverse communities together through sport and entertainment and to create a sense of belonging. For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca.
About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (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 71 percent of its roster being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, top NCAA programs, and USPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May to August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.