Ottawa BlackJacks Re-Sign National Team Guard Kadre Gray
The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Monday that Canadian guard Kadre Gray has re-signed with the Club for the 2023 CEBL season.
A former U SPORTS most valuable player and Canadian national team guard, Kadre Gray has averaged 9.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 76 games playing professionally in Germany, in Spain and in the CEBL.
Gray is currently completing his winter season with Bayer Giants Leverkusen in the German Pro A, the second division of professional German basketball, where he’s averaging 14.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 13 games.
He most recently helped Canada qualify for the 2023 FIBA World Cup, averaging 4.0 points in four games with the men’s national team at the FIBA World Cup 2023 Americas qualifiers.
After tipping off the 2022 CEBL season in Vancouver, Gray signed with the BlackJacks on July 3. He averaged 9.3 points and 4.0 assists in 10 games with the team. He dished a season-high nine assists on July 14 against Saskatchewan and scored a team-high and personal season-high 22 points, shooting six-for-seven from behind the arc on July 12 against Edmonton.
Gray’s impressive post-secondary resumé translated to the professional game immediately as he emerged as a key offensive weapon for the BlackJacks during his first professional season in 2021. He ranked second on the team in points per game with 14.0 and lead the team in assists per game with 4.4.
After a successful start to his professional career with Ottawa, Gray took his talents overseas, playing 28 games with CB Coruna of the LEB Oro in Spain.
Gray spent four years with Laurentian University, where he recorded averages of 25.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 33.6 minutes in 81 games. He captured ten major university sport awards, including the 2017-18 U SPORTS Athlete of the Year award, the 2018-19 and 2017-18 U SPORTS Men’s Basketball Player of the Year honours, the 2019-20 U SPORTS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian award, the 2017-18 OUA Athlete of the Year award, three consecutive OUA Player of the Year selections and top rookie honours nationally and provincially in his debut campaign.
Quotes
“Third time’s a Blessing! I give thanks to the Most High for placing me back in the Capital with the best fans in the CEBL. Ecstatic to return to my second home for another memorable season with the BlackJacks family; a special summer is upon us. Stay tuned.”
- Kadre Gray, Guard, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
"We are excited to have Kadre back with our family. He’s had an exceptional year playing professionally in Germany, more importantly, he’s coming off a big summer at the FIBA AmeriCup with our Canadian National team and has just recently helped them qualify for the World Championship.”
- Jevohn Shepherd, General Manager and Vice-President of Basketball Operations, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
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. Having recently completed its third season, the BlackJacks have reached the championship semifinal three times. 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 Vice-President, Basketball Operations Jevohn Shepherd, Ottawa plays its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. For more information visit www.theblackjacks.ca.
About Canadian Elite Basketball League
The CEBL features 10 teams in six provinces, making it the largest pro sports league in Canada. The CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube.