Guelph, ON – The Guelph Nighthawks made perhaps the most significant Canadian free agent signing to date, today announcing the signing of 6’6” Canadian AJ Lawson for the upcoming 2022 Canadian Elite Basketball League season. The Brampton native played the 2021/22 season with the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G-League where he averaged 11.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game, while shooting 48.1% from the field.

Prior to joining the University of South Carolina in 2018, Lawson was a heralded high school prospect from GTA Prep in Mississauga, ranked as the fourth-best Canadian high schooler in his senior season. Lawson spent three seasons at South Carolina, where he was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2019, and was named to the 2nd All-SEC Team following his junior season in 2021. In Lawson’s final season at South Carolina, he led the team in scoring, averaging 16.6 points and 4.1 rebounds per game while shooting 35.1% from beyond the arc.

Following AJ’s junior season at South Carolina he declared for the 2021 NBA Draft and was subsequently signed by the Atlanta Hawks. Lawson spent the 2021/22 season with the Hawks NBA G-League affiliate in College Park where he played beside current Guelph Nighthawks guard Cat Barber. AJ started 26 games for the Skyhawks, where he had three double-double performances including a standout 23-point, 9 rebound game against the Raptors 905, hitting 7 of 12 3pt FG’s.

Since 2018 Lawson has played with both the Canadian Junior and Senior Men’s National Team, most recently representing Canada at the 2021 FIBA Americas World Cup Qualifier against the Bahamas in November.

When speaking of why he chose to sign with the Nighthawks AJ stated, “I made the decision with my agent and my family. Coach Kissi wants to help take my game to the next level, and we felt that signing with the Nighthawks would be a great opportunity to get better, be home, work on my game and win.”

AJ will join the Guelph Nighthawks for the start of training camp on May 18, in preparation for tip-off of the regular season home opener at the Sleeman Centre against the Scarborough Shooting Stars on May 26th.

Nighthawks season tickets, flex packs and single game tickets are currently on-sale for the upcoming 2022 CEBL season. For more information on tickets or the 2022 Nighthawks season please visit www.thenighthawks.ca/tickets or call (548) 988-HAWK.