How Kadre Gray’s unconventional path has led him to the Ottawa BlackJacks’ starting lineup

Matthew Winick

Kadre Gray prays to God before every basketball game he plays.  If you’ve ever watched him on the court though, you’d think his opponents should be the ones praying. 

The 6-foot-1 guard from Toronto has been one of the CEBL’s best players for the Ottawa BlackJacks in only his first professional season, following one of the most decorated careers in U Sports history. Despite success at every level of his basketball career, Gray’s path hasn’t been as clear-cut as many hoopers before him. Through it all, his community, his self-belief and his faith have carried him this far.

“A lot of people played a part in  this journey,” said Gray, “But if I could go by one quote, it would be with God, I can do all things. He’s the one who strengthens me.”

Perhaps Gray leans so heavily on his faith and family because they were the only ones around at the start. Despite playing a large role in high school, there was not much belief in his ability to push his game to the next level. Division I programs weren’t knocking on his door, and lower levels in the U.S. didn’t pan out.

The lack of interest didn’t deter Gray’s ambition. He had a greater goal in mind and was hell-bent on achieving it.

“The big picture wasn’t just to go to the NCAA, it was about wanting to play professional basketball, and there were other routes,” said Gray, “As I matured, I realized there was a different way for me to do it.”

Naturally, Gray turned to U Sports, the up-and-coming league of Canadian university athletics, to jumpstart his desire to become a pro. Local schools like Brock and Ryerson showed interest, but nothing seemed to fit.

Then, Gray and a high school teammate took a recruiting trip to Sudbury to check out Laurentian University. Not known as a basketball powerhouse, Gray initially dismissed a school that seemed to be below his level. However, upon meeting Laurentian head coach Shawn Swords, he had a change of heart.

“He’s the number one reason why I ended up there, because he's just an amazing person. He cared about who we were as people, before basketball players. That made a huge impression,” said Gray, “And then sure enough, I committed, and it took off from there.”

Taking off would be an accurate description for the start of Gray’s university career. From the day he stepped on campus, awards and accolades stuck to him like glue.

As a freshman, Gray ranked second in the entire country in points, en route to being named the U Sports Rookie of the Year. He followed that up by once again finishing second in the country in points as a sophomore while also ranking first in assists, earning him the honour of U Sports Player of the Year.

That all paled in comparison to his junior season, where Gray averaged an outstanding 31 points per game, the highest mark reached by a U Sports athlete in the 21 ^st  century. Naturally, he won player of the year again. He put a bow on his career at Laurentian as a senior by topping the 2,000-point plateau, settling in at sixth all-time at 2,072.

With a career so decorated, you’d think that the credit for all the success would be based on skill. Yet, when asked about what made Gray’s university career so extraordinary, coach Swords sings a different praise.

“I think his best attribute is his dedication and wor k ethic,” said Swords, “He kept pushing me to get in a gym with him. He dedicated himself to improve his game every year, and he just turned into this player.”

All told, Kadre Gray had one of the greatest Canadian university men’s basketball careers of all-time. What’s scary is the best may still be to come. 

Gray checked off a major accomplishment on his bucket list this February, suiting up for the Canadian senior men’s national team in an AmeriCup qualifying game against the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Before that though, the last time Gray played in a competitive basketball game was with Laurentian on February 22 ^nd , 2020. In typical fashion, he scored 39 points. 

Because of such a long gap between game action, expectations were surely tempered for the 23-year-old first-time pro. Naturally, those expectations were shattered immediately.

Gray came off the bench in the season opener, leading Ottawa with 25 points. Next game, a start with 27, eight rebounds and seven assists. Seven games into his career, Gray leads the BlackJacks in minutes and assists, and ranks second in points at 16.4 per game. Not only has he firmly cemented himself atop the leaderboard for U Sports Developmental Player of the Year, but as one of the top Canadians in the entire league. 

All told, Gray’s had one of the most successful U Sports to pro transitions in CEBL history. Although, after jumping on the scene from the get-go at the U Sports level, this start should have been seen coming. Gray for one, is not shocked one bit.

“I don’t find it surprising at all. It’s just a testament to all the people who have worked with me,” said Gray, “I always say that my success is not just my success, it’s my community’s success. So, it's not a surprise. All the people around me know that I've been able to do this.”

Listening to Gray speak, it’s clear why he’s first on his team in assists. He always puts others first, often refusing to take the praise laid onto him. Whether it’s God, his wife or his coaches, he’ll always throw the credit onto them.

Coach Swords saw this firsthand during Gray’s time in Sudbury. Whether it was watching youth games, coaching kids or even just interacting with the community, he watched Gray make Laurentian his home away from home.

“He just has that personality, it’s magnetic and people flock to him,” said Swords, “I would say he’s an even nicer person off the court than he is a basketball player on the court.”

Gray’s care and compassion spans well beyond the realm of basketball too. In 2017, he co-founded an organization named Uluntu, Lungisa, Usawa – which stands for Humanity, Justice and Equity in South African languages. The group worked within the Sudbury community to address racism and empower youth.

“Social justice is a huge thing I pay attention to.  I’m a pretty big book outside of basketball,” said Gray, “I think we have a lot of strides to make in our society, and I want to be a part of that change.”

On the court, now comes the hard part for Gray. While basketball fans across Canada are getting familiarized with his game, so are opponents. When CEBL teams prepare to face the Ottawa BlackJacks, Kadre Gray is the first name on their scouting report.

“Things are only going to get tougher for Kadre. They’re prepared for him,” said BlackJacks’ head coach Charles Dubé-Brais, “We still want to give him as much responsibility as we can because he can handle it. That guy is unbelievable.”

From being an underrated recruit and playing at the U Sports level tucked away at Laurentian, Gray’s path to the pros wasn’t exactly what young hoopers dream about growing up. Still, he’s thankful of the journey he was taken on.

“Looking back now, I have no regrets. A lot of people want to be in this position, they want to be in this place. There’s just different ways of getting there,” said Gray, “It was definitely unconventional, but it’s what I was destined to do for sure.”

Kadre Gray is here to stay. His aggressive offensive attack combined with a silky stroke from beyond the arc make him one of the most valuable offensive weapons in the CEBL. His ever-improving defence and playmaking skills have moulded him into a complete player. Yet, when asked to describe his own game to his growing fanbase, Gray shies away from all of that.

“They should know that he’s willing to do whatever it takes. He’s going to work his tail off,” said Gray, “But above all, his dedication and his belief is what will make him different.”

No one knows what Gray’s future holds or where his basketball career will take him, but one thing is for sure, he’s just getting started. 

“My faith and confidence are at 100, it’s through the roof,” said Gray, “I think the sky’s the limit.”

All CEBL games will be available for live streaming on the CEBL’s new OTT streaming service  CEBL+,   cbcsports.ca , the free  CBC Gem  streaming service, the CBC Sports App for iOS and android devices, and on Twitch.

A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, 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 CEBL.ca for more information or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube