Ottawa BlackJacks Sign Canadian Forward Abu Kigab
The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Friday that Canadian Forward Abu Kigab has signed with the club for the 2023 season.
A six-foot-seven forward from St. Catharines, Ontario, Kigab tipped off his professional career in the CEBL last summer and averaged 5.0 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 17.0 minutes over two games played with his hometown team, Niagara River Lions.
Before joining Niagara, Abu completed a stint with the Toronto Raptors at the 2022 NBA 2K23 Summer League. During his second and final game of the tournament, he recorded a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Kigab suited up for the Canadian national team on various occasions. He played seven games with the senior men’s national team and 19 games with the youth national team. He averaged 6.3 points and 2.0 rebounds in six games played during the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup in September 2022 and scored three points at the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Americas Qualifiers in February 2023.
As a member of the Canadian youth national team, Kigab competed at the 2017 FIBA U19 World Cup in Cairo, Egypt, helping Canada wing its first FIBA U19 World Cup gold medal. He was named to the World Cup All-Star team after averaging 14.7 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists in seven games played. He also represented Canada at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, leading his team to the final where he recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds.
Kigab began his collegiate career with the Oregon Ducks where he played for a season and a half before transferring to Boise State in 2019. As a fifth-year player with the Broncos, Kigab started in all 35 games and averaged14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 31.5 minutes per game in 2021-22. He led the Broncos in scoring 12 time while recording a 30-point game and seven 20-point games. He earned himself the Mountain West Championship MVP and All-Mountain West Second Team honours that season.
Born in Khartoum, South Sudan, Kigab moved to St. Catharines at the age of nine and attended Queen Mary Public School and St. Francis Catholic Secondary School in St. Catharines prior to transferring to Prolific Prep Academy in Napa, California.
Ottawa BlackJacks fans may purchase single game tickets for the 2023 BlackJacks regular season here. The BlackJacks also have various ticket packages that allow fans to enjoy savings while securing their seats to some of the best games of the year, including season seat memberships, flex packs and group tickets. For more information, please contact the Ottawa BlackJacks Membership Services team directly at 613-690-0519 or by email at [email protected].
Quotes:
“I’m extremely excited to play for the Ottawa BlackJacks this upcoming summer. I’m looking forward to making history and being a part of something special here in Ottawa.”
- Abu Kigab, Forward, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
“Abu Kigab is one of those players you hate to play against, you hate to practice against, but you love to compete with. He plays with grit and toughness and it’s something you can’t teach.”
- Jevohn Shepherd, General Manager and Vice-President of Basketball Operations, 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 semifinals 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.
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 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. TSN, Canada's sports leader, is the official broadcast partner of the league. 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. 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 through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.