The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Thursday the signing of Canadian Kris Joseph.
A six-foot-seven forward from Montreal, Joseph has averaged 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.0 steals in 212 professional games over a 10-year career. Selected in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics, the Syracuse alumnus spent a year playing in the NBA and NBA D-League before traveling to Europe to play in some of the top-tier leagues.
Joseph spent the most recent season with Burgos in Spain, where he averaged 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 25.0 minutes in 23 games. He scored 20 or more points three times and netted a season-high 23 points, to go along with six rebounds, three assists and two steals on November 2 against Palencia.
During the CEBL 2020 Summer Series, Joseph averaged 10.5 points in four games with the Saskatchewan Rattlers. He scored a season-high 18 points, hitting three triples, July 31 against Guelph.
The 51st pick overall pick by the Boston Celtics in 2012, Joseph played 10 games in the NBA, including six games for the Boston Celtics and four games for the Brooklyn Nets. He was part of the massive NBA trade that brought Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry from the Celtics to the Nets. Joseph also played 27 games in the NBA D-league, split between the Springfield Armor (Brooklyn) and the Maine Red Claws (Celtics), where he averaged 13.8 points. 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 26.3 minutes.
A native of Montreal, Joseph left his hometown in 2006 to complete two years of high school at Archbishop Carroll in Washington, D.C before spending the next four years with the Syracuse Orange, where he averaged 10.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists. As a senior, after leading the Orange to the Big East regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, Joseph made history when he was named to the Big East Conference first all-star team, the first Canadian in history to be so honoured. He led the Orange in scoring during the regular season (13.4) - the second-highest scoring average ever recorded by a Canadian in the Big East, after fellow Syracuse star Leo Rautins, father of BlackJacks Assistant General Manager Andy Rautins.
Joseph’s brother, Maurice, is an assistant coach with the University of Richmond men’s basketball team and former head coach at George Washington. He was known for his shooting prowess as a collegiate player at both Michigan State and University of Vermont.
The BlackJacks will open the 2021 campaign with a three-game homestand that begins on June 24 against the Niagara River Lions, followed by a date with the Guelph Nighthawks on June 28 and concludes with a special Canada Day matinee against the Hamilton Honey Badgers.
The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021 following the success of this past year's CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ontario, which saw millions of viewers across Canada and around the world tune in to watch 26 games played over 15 days in a single-site league competition. The CEBL became the first professional sports league in Canada to return to play after the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus in mid-March shut down sports across the country.
Quotes:
“Kris is a big-time talent, very rarely do you get his combination of size, athleticism and ability to shoot. Additionally, he brings a world of experience from his time in the NBA and in Europe.”
- Jevohn Shepherd, General Manager, Ottawa BlackJacks Basketball Club
"I’m excited to be joining the BlackJacks for this CEBL season. I have known both Jevohn and Andy and they have put together a solid group of guys with great playing experience and a winning attitud e. I’m looking forward to doing something special with this group.”
- Kris Joseph, Forward, 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. The Ottawa front office brings NBA, NBA G League, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. Led by general manager Jevohn Shepherd, assistant general manager Andy Rautins and head coach Charles Dubé-Brais, 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
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players come from the 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 more information on CEBL.ca or follow us on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Linkedin, Facebook & YouTube. (@cebleague).
Social Media
Facebook: /OttawaBlackJacks
Twitter: @Ott_Blackjacks
Instagram: ottawablackjacks
Contact:
Marika Guérin
Manager, Communications and Community
Ottawa BlackJacks Professional Basketball Club