The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Monday that former national team member, Michigan Wolverines captain, and 11-year pro, Jevohn Shepherd, has been named general manager of the club.
Shepherd, 34, retired last year from a notable professional basketball journey in Europe. He has been serving as basketball analyst for CBC Sports, Sportsnet590 The Fan, Sauga 960am and the Raptors 905.
Shepherd saw success at all levels on the court. His best season as a pro came in 2011, when he averaged 20.2 points and 6.4 rebounds 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. In July 2011, he signed with Zorg en Zekerheid Leiden in the Dutch Basketball League and won the 2012 Dutch Cup. Shepherd played professionally for 11 years in some of the top FIBA leagues in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, and Romania. 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.
After an incredible high school career at West Hill Collegiate in Toronto, Shepherd earned a scholarship to play for Tommy Amaker and later John Beilein at the University of Michigan. As a senior, Shepherd captained the Wolverines to a second-round appearance in the 2009 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament.
With the Ottawa BlackJacks, a priority for Shepherd during the coming months will be to build the basketball operations department, including the coaching staff. Osvaldo Jeanty, who guided the team to a 4-4 record during the BlackJacks inaugural season this past summer, has withdrawn his name from consideration for a possible new contract for the 2021 season. An international coaching search will commence in the weeks ahead.
Quotes:
“After a thorough search, having discussions with basketball personnel within the CEBL, NBA, NBA G League, Canada Basketball, and major FIBA leagues, the BlackJacks are proud to welcome Jevohn Shepherd to lead the basketball operations department of the franchise. Jevohn represents the exciting direction of the CEBL, is known throughout the league as a collaborator, and will expand international player recruitment. He believes in the value of community and will help bring great pride to Ottawa and Gatineau.”
- Michael Cvitkovic
President, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
“After watching the action closely as part of the CBC broadcast team for the CEBL in 2020, I am proud to be a part of something special in Ottawa. The CEBL has quickly grown credibility among Canadians and international pros around the world. The foundation is set in our nation’s capital for long-term professional basketball success. I look forward to building the basketball operations department as we review and complete our roster for the 2021 season.”
- Jevohn Shepherd
General Manager, 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. 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
The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) features world-class professional basketball in a fan-friendly entertainment environment across seven cities in Canada. The 2019 inaugural season saw more than 100 Canadian and international players take to the court, culminating with the Saskatchewan Rattlers earning the first CEBL championship trophy. CEBL players come from NBA G-League clubs, top NCAA programs, the Canadian national program, U SPORTS and other Division 1 FIBA leagues. The CEBL is the First Division Professional League partner of Canada Basketball.
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