Ottawa BlackJacks Welcome Back Jevohn Shepherd for Third CEBL Season

The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Monday that Jevohn Shepherd will return for a third season as the team’s General Manager and Vice-President of Basketball Operations.

Shepherd was promoted tohis current position on February 25, 2022 and became the second general manager in franchise history on November 23, 2020. A retired professional basketball player and long-time Canadian Men’s National Basketball team member, Shepherd is the radio analyst for Toronto Raptors NBA broadcasts on TSN Radio. He will continue to lead the basketball operations for the Ottawa BlackJacks, who will enter their fourth CEBL season in 2023.

The BlackJacks have reached the CEBL Championship Weekend final four in both years of Shepherd managing the pro basketball team in the nation’s capital. In 2022 as hosts, Ottawa lost, 76-72, to the champion Honey Badgers in the semifinal game.

Ottawa won five of its final six regular season home games under the leadership of interim head coach James Derouin, who Shepherd hired after an 0-3 start in early June. With two players having NBA experience (Deng Adel, Walt Lemon Jr.) and seven returning players (Johnny Berhanemeskel, Kadre Gray, Tyrell Green, Guillaume Pépin, Chad Posthumus, Tommy Scrubb and Ryan Wright), the 2022 BlackJacks roster offered fast-paced and exciting basketball, breaking multiple league and team records, including the biggest Elam Ending comeback in CEBL history on June 27 as BlackJacks forward Tyrell Green hit the winning three-pointer to complete a 14-point Elam Ending comeback against the Scarborough Shooting Stars. A week later, the BlackJacks tied a league record for the largest margin of victory and lowest number of points allowed with a 101-50 win over the visiting Saskatchewan Rattlers.

Shepherd attended West Hill Collegiate Institute and Don Valley Junior High School in Toronto. His early successes on the hardwood led him to a scholarship offer by the prestigious basketball program of the University of Michigan. During his four years at Michigan (2005-2009), Shepherd averaged 2.6 points and 1.1 rebounds. During his senior year with the Wolverines, the six-foot-six forward was named captain and helped his team to a 21-14 record, which tied a school record for the largest single-season turnaround in program history, as well as helping Michigan earn its first NCAA Tournament bid in 11 years, reaching the second round of the 2009 NCAA Men’s Division I basketball tournament. Shepherd obtained his bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Shepherd played professionally for 11 years in some of the top FIBA leagues in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Romania. During the 2012-2013 season, playing for Municipal Bucuresti of the Romania Division A, Shepherd was named on the Eurobasket.com All-Romanian League second team as well as on the All-Imports team and received an honorable mention. His best season as a pro came in 2011, when he averaged 20.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 27.9 minutes in 12 games for Osnabrueck in the Germany Pro A League. That season, Shepherd won several awards, including the Eurobasket.com All-German 2 Bundesliga Pro A Player of the Year, Forward of the Year, Import Player of the Year, First Team and All-Imports Team. He was drafted by the Guelph Nighthawks in the second round of the 2019 CEBL Entry Draft but did not sign with the club.

Shepherd has represented Canada Basketball at various levels of competition. He first played with the Canadian University National Team at the 2005 World University Games and helped the same team to a surprise bronze medal in 2007 at the Games in Bangkok, Thailand. In 2010, he was called to the Senior Men’s National Team for the first time at the FIBA World Championship. He then represented the country on various occasions, playing more than 60 games in the red and white uniform, including at the 2013 FIBA Americas and 2018 FIBA World Qualifiers, helping Canada advance to the 2019 FIBA World Championships. He continues to work with Canada Basketball on various public appearances promoting the game. He has been serving as a TV analyst for Canada Basketball on Sportsnet and worked for CBC Sports during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Quotes:

"The first two years with the BlackJacks have been an incredible experience, but we are not done. The basketball community is starting to rally around our team and we are seeing BlackJacks basketball grow in gyms, community centres, schools and parks. I feel like we have taken positive steps in building a championship organization. I look forward to continuing to work for a great fanbase and putting together another team on the floor that everyone can call their own."

- Jevohn Shepherd, General Manager and Vice-President of Basketball Operations, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club

“Jevohn is one of the most authentic people I have worked with in my career. He is the epidemy of why the CEBL was created. Dedicated to the national program and growing the game in Canada beyond his playing career, Jevohn has brought with him to Ottawa a wealth of basketball knowledge, an international hoops network and a deep desire to cement professional ball in Ottawa. He cares. With Jevohn helping lead the way, we are building a program that will one day link all of the incredible basketball within Ottawa and Gatineau. Players and coaches want to work with Jevohn because of the environment he has created. We are aligned on the vision of the BlackJacks and I am so grateful Jevohn is returning for a third season.”

- Michael Cvitkovic, President, 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.