The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Monday the signing of local Guard Lloyd Pandi for the upcoming 2024 CEBL season.
A six-foot-four guard from Ottawa, Ontario, Lloyd Pandi recently wrapped up his second consecutive winter season with Darussafaka Basketbol Istanbul in Turkey and averaged 3.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 14.4 minutes in 16 games played. Notably, he delivered a standout performance on April 20 against Fenerbahce Beko, tallying a season-high 16 points, along with seven rebounds and two assists.
Pandi is gearing up for his fourth season in the CEBL, having played with the Niagara River Lions (2023, 2021) and the Ottawa BlackJacks (2020). Pandi clinched the CEBL U SPORTS Player of the Year title in both 2020 and 2021.
Joining the BlackJacks during the 2020 CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Pandi made an immediate impact, averaging 8.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game in six appearances. This represented Pandi’s first professional experience, having been selected in the second round (14th overall) in the 2020 CEBL Draft by the BlackJacks.
Pandi has represented the Canadian senior national team on multiple occasions. Most recently, he played at the 2025 FIBA AmeriCup Qualifiers in February 2024, hitting a game-winning shot against Nicaragua on February 26. His journey with the national team began with his inclusion in the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup roster, where he averaged 5.7 points and 2.8 rebounds across six games.
A decorated university player, Pandi played two seasons with the Carleton Ravens before declaring for the 2022 NBA Draft. In his senior year in 2021-22, he averaged 14.6 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game, leading his team to clinch the U SPORTS National Championship for the second consecutive year. His outstanding performance earned him several accolades, including the Mike Moser Memorial Trophy (U SPORTS Outstanding Player), First Team All-Canadian honors, and E.C. Lebel Plaque (OUA East MVP), among others.
The Ottawa BlackJacks 2024 single game tickets are on sale now at https://www.theblackjacks.ca/single-game-tickets. The team's fifth season will kick off at The Arena at TD Place on May 29, promising professional basketball and exciting entertainment in a family-friendly environment. For more information, please visit www.theblackjacks.ca or contact the Ottawa BlackJacks Membership Services team directly at 613-690-0519 or by email at [email protected].
Quotes:
"I'm excited to return home and join my hometown CEBL team once again. There's something truly special about playing in front of my friends and family, and I can't wait to get started and make the city proud.”
- Lloyd Pandi, Guard, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
“Lloyd is a great local talent who excelled in the CEBL, clinching the title of U SPORTS CEBL Player of the Year twice. His unwavering focus and work ethic make him an asset to the team. We're happy to have him back with the BlackJacks, and we’re excited to work with him."
- James Derouin, General Manager and Head Coach, 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. 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 Head Coach James Derouin, Ottawa plays its home games out of the world-class Arena at TD Place in Lansdowne Park. The anticipation is building for the upcoming 2024 season, slated to tip off at home on May 29 against the Edmonton Stingers. For more information, visit www.theblackjacks.ca.
About Canadian Elite Basketball League
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.