Calgary Surge Announce Shane James as Team's First General Manager
February 8, 2023 – Shane James, former Assistant General Manager of the Guelph Nighthawks, will be the Calgary Surge’s new General Manager, the team announced Wednesday.
“Shane James is a former pro player who has spent his career involved in all levels of basketball. He has developed an eye for Canadian talent that is second to none. Most importantly, his values deeply align with the Calgary Surge’s commitment to community and our desire to win a championship for the city. It is my pleasure to welcome Shane here to Calgary as the Surge’s first General Manager,” said Surge Vice-Chairman and President Jason Ribeiro.
James is a committed educator and champion of youth basketball. As the Founder and Director of the Under Armour Canada Elite AAU basketball program, James played a role in developing Canada’s NBA talent including the Utah Jazz’s Nickeil Alexander-Walker, former Orlando Magic players Justin Jackson and Karim Mané, and former Cleveland Cavalier center Thon Maker. He was the Assistant General Manager of the Guelph Nighthawks for two seasons, 2021-2022, before the franchise relocated to Calgary late last year.
"Shane James is a great hire for the Surge as they prepare for their inaugural season in the CEBL,” said former Toronto Raptors General Manager and two-time NBA Executive of the Year Bryan Colangelo. “Shane’s proven and successful experiences as a player, coach, and people manager, combined with his innate ability to identify talent, build organizational culture, and lead players, will greatly benefit the Surge in developing an elite-level basketball program from the ground up."
Prior to launching the Canada Elite AAU program, James played four seasons of NCAA Division 1 basketball at Loyola University where he started 80 of 114 games, averaging 7.1 points, 3.0 assists, and 3.5 rebounds over four seasons, winning MAAC Conference All-Rookie Team honours and Loyola’s team MVP award. He then played professionally overseas in the Czech Republic, Mexico, and Switzerland before returning to Ontario where he launched Canada Elite and founded the Canadian Youth Basketball League. His programs have helped over 80 Canadian players pursue careers in the NCAA, USPORTS, the CEBL, and the NBA.
“I am honoured to join the Calgary Surge as the club's first General Manager and to work in partnership with Jason and the Surge Front Office to build a championship-winning roster. I loved my time recruiting and signing players with the Guelph Nighthawks and am ready to continue this work in the great city of Calgary. I have been really impressed with what the Surge are doing in community and for youth since launching in October. Surge fans can look forward to an entertaining basketball experience when they pass through the doors of WinSport Event Centre beginning this spring,” said Shane James.
This is the first of several exciting announcements about the team and upcoming season from the Surge. These will be celebrated at a community event in early March. Details of this event will be announced soon.
About the Calgary Surge
The Calgary franchise originated as the Guelph Nighthawks in 2018, one of the six founding members of the CEBL. The organization was relocated from the league’s smallest market to Calgary in August 2022 as part of the growing league's business strategy to have teams in Canada’s largest metropolitan areas. Chairman Usman Tahir Jutt and Vice-Chairman and President Jason Ribeiro saw an opportunity to bridge Calgary’s diverse communities together through sport and entertainment and to create a sense of belonging. For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.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 71 percent of its roster being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, top NCAA programs, and USPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May to August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.