OTTAWA, ON - The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday the signing of one of the most decorated players in Canadian university history, Guard Kadre Gray.
A six-foot-one guard from Toronto, 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 most recent 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.
The sixth overall pick by the Hamilton Honey Badgers in the 2020 CEBL U SPORTS draft , Gray represented Canada at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifier in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he totaled 11 points and 2 assists in 11 minutes of play, helping Canada sweep the two-game series against the U.S. Virgin Islands. He also played at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy, where he averaged 13.7 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in six games.
As a fourth-year veteran with the Laurentian Voyageurs, Gray became the fourth male player to eclipse 2,000 points in OUA history in February 2020. By season’s end, he took over the second spot on the all-time provincial scoring list, sitting at 2,072 points in just four years. He led U SPORTS in scoring average (23.8) and total points (523), ranked second in U SPORTS for assists (143) and ranked first in total points, points per game, free throws made (174) and free throw percentage (.916) in the OUA conference.
During the 2018-19 campaign, his averages of 31.0 points, 7.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.6 steals lead him to his consecutive U SPORTS Men’s Basketball Player of the Year award.
Gray received many honours for his success in the classroom as well. He finished the 2019-20 year on the Dean’s Honours List with a 9.1 GPA, his second straight season as an Academic All-Canadian, and he became the first Laurentian student-athlete to receive the 2020 U SPORTS Top 8 Academic All-Canadian award.
Outside of basketball, Gray co-founded Uluntu, Lungisa, Usawa in 2017 – an organization that works with racialized youth to develop support groups, facilitate workshops, raise awareness, promote advocacy and empowerment and provide ally-training.
The Toronto native became the sixth player to sign with the Ottawa BlackJacks for the 2021 season. The BlackJacks previously announced the signing of hometown Guard Johnny Berhanemeskel , fellow national team Guard Junior Cadougan , NBA G-League forward and Michigan St. alumnus Nick Ward , CEBL veteran Tyrell Green and Ball State star American Tahjai Teague .
The 2021 CEBL U SPORTS Draft results will be revealed Thursday, April 14 on CEBL.ca, as well as through the league’s social media channels. Draft eligible U SPORTS players may have completed their university eligibility in 2020-21, or they may be returning to their university team in the fall and be classified within the CEBL’s U SPORTS Developmental Player program. Each CEBL club must have at least one U SPORTS player on its 10-man active roster at all times.
Last month, the Ottawa BlackJacks, in collaboration with the CEBL, announced its 2021 regular season 14-game schedule, opening up with a game on the road versus Hamilton on Saturday, June 5, at 7pm. After starting the campaign on a three-game road trip, Ottawa will play its first home game in franchise history on Thursday, June 24, at 7 p.m. versus the Niagara River Lions .
CBC is the premier media partner of the CEBL and will broadcast nationally televised games on seven consecutive Saturdays beginning June 5. The BlackJacks will appear three times on national television and all regular season games will also be live streamed on the free CBC Gem streaming service, cbcsports.ca , the CBC Sports app and on a new OTT streaming platform the CEBL will unveil this spring.
The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021 following the success of this past year's CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ontario, which saw millions of viewers across Canada and around the world tune in to watch 26 games played over 15 days in a single-site league competition. The CEBL became the first professional sports league in Canada to return to play after the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in mid-March shut down sports across the country.
Quotes
“Kadre is a very talented and hardworking guard who has proven to be one of the best university players in the country. Not only is he successful on the court, he is also a great role model in the community.”
- Jevohn Shepherd , General Manager, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
“I am very blessed to be joining the Ottawa BlackJacks community. I am looking forward to meeting the team and staff, it’s certainly going to be an intriguing summer!”
- Kadre Gray, Guard, 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 will showcase the best of basketball and entertainment in the nation’s capital. In its inaugural campaign, the BlackJacks earned a semifinal appearance at the 2020 CEBL Summer Series . The Ottawa front office brings NBA, NBA G League, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. Led by General Manager Jevohn Shepherd, Assistant General manager Andy Rautins and Head Coach Charles Dubé-Brais , Ottawa will play 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
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players come from the 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 typically runs from May through August. Head to more information on CEBL.ca or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Linkedin, Facebook & YouTube (@cebleague).
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Media Contact
Marika Guérin
Manager, Communications and Community
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club