Honey Badgers Welcome Back Veteran Forward Waterman

The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) have re-signed American forward Zane Waterman, the team announced Wednesday. The sixth-year pro has played in 196 professional games in nine countries, including Argentina, Czechia, Poland, New Zealand, Portugal, Finland, Cyprus, Lithuania, and in the CEBL. In 25 games this winter with Lithuania's BC Nevezis-Optibet, the Winston-Salem, NC forward is averaging 16.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 31.0 minutes of action.

“Zane is a true professional in every sense of the word,” said Jermaine Anderson, general manager and vice president of basketball operations. “Zane was a valuable member of our championship team and has been a mentor for our young players the last two seasons. We’re extremely excited to have him rejoin our family this summer.”

Waterman suited up in 36 games for the black and gold over the past two seasons, averaging 7.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. The 28-year-old enters the season fourth all-time in games played for the Honey Badgers. Last summer, he reached double-figures in scoring in 13 games, featuring a 20-point and 11-rebound double-double performance July 31 against Scarborough. The six-foot-eight forward set a career-high with 17 rebounds against Saskatchewan on July 17, tying assistant coach Mike Fraser with the single-game franchise record. 

“The Honey Badgers organization has a championship culture that is different from other teams and leagues that I’ve been a part of,” said Waterman. “My experience in the CEBL has been helpful to my career, and I’m excited to compete for Brampton again this season.”

Between seasons with the Honey Badgers, Waterman split the year with BC Apollon in Cyprus and Finland’s Helsinki Seagulls, appearing in a combined 26 games. In 16 games with BC Apollon, Waterman averaged 16.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists while recording six double-double performances. The forward achieved double figures in scoring in eight games with Helsinki, averaging 13.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 23.7 minutes in 10 games.

The Fayetteville Academy product played in 19 games with the CEBL Champion Honey Badgers in 2022, scoring in double figures in five games and averaging 7.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 19.5 minutes. Waterman’s highlight performance of the season included setting a career-high with four blocks July 17 at home against the Edmonton Stingers.

Before joining the Honey Badgers, Waterman played in Portugal, New Zealand, Poland, Czechia, Argentina and Finland, where he made his professional debut with Kobrat. 

Waterman played the entirety of his four-year collegiate career with the Manhattan College Jaspers, appearing in 121 games averaging 10.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 22.0 minutes. As a senior, Waterman scored in double figures 17 times en route to becoming the 38th member of the Jaspers’ 1000-point club. 

Waterman reunites with teammate Prince Oduro as the Honey Badgers first two signings of CEBL free agency.  The pair of forwards have been teammates the previous two seasons with the Honey Badgers, including the 2022 CEBL Championship campaign.

More information about the Brampton Honey Badgers can be found at honeybadgers.ca and @HoneyBadgersCan on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook.

About the Brampton Honey Badgers

One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit www.honeybadgers.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 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.