Sea Bears Sign G-League All-Star with NBA Experience

The Winnipeg Sea Bears have bolstered their frontcourt with the signing of an NBA G League All-Star.

The Sea Bears are pleased to announce the signing of Darius Days, a 6-foot-7 forward who recently completed his second season with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G League.

Days, who played four games with the NBA’s Houston Rockets in 2022-23, averaged 16.0 points and 6.9 rebounds across 45 regular season and Showcase games with the Vipers in 2023-24. 

In March, Days was named the G League Player of the Month after he averaged 25.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists and one steal as the Vipers went 8-2 in that span.

In 2022-23, he was named second-team all-NBA G League and first-team all-rookie after he burst into the pro game averaging 21.9 points and 9.2 rebounds, while shooting 35.9 per cent from three in 47 games with the Vipers.

“Darius brings NBA experience and outstanding three-point shooting to our front court.  After being recognized as second team G League all-star and earning a spot on the G-League All-Rookie team in 2022-2023, Darius played a strong 2023-2024 with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers and we are excited about his potential in Winnipeg,” said Sea Bears head coach and general manager Mike Taylor. 

Days, a product of Raleigh, Florida, made his pro debut in 2022, averaging 13.7 points and 10 rebounds over three games with the San Antonio Spurs NBA Summer League squad.

That earned Days a two-way contract from the Miami Heat, who waived him in October 2022. Shortly after, Days was signed by the Rockets to another two-way deal, and he has remained in the Rockets organization since playing five games with Houston’s 2023 Summer League team. 

“I’m excited to get the ball rolling. I’m ready and I know the Winnipeg fans are as well. Come show your support and pack the area every game. Everything we’re trying to do is for you and the city,” said Days. 

A classic 3-and-D-style two-way player, Days has made 33.4 per cent from three over 92 G League regular season and Showcase games the past two seasons and has averaged 1.1 steals per game in that span. 

In college, Days was a four-year player with the Louisiana State Tigers and started 91 of 92 games his final three years in Baton Rouge. He was named second-team all-SEC as a senior in 2022 when he averaged 13.7 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 steals. 

He is one of only 10 players in LSU history with 1,300 points and 800 rebounds joining the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Bob Pettit, and Glen Davis. 

“Darius fits well with our roster pieces and has received high praise from his coaching staffs at LSU and RGV. Our Sea Bears coaching staff is looking forward to working with Darius and I believe Sea Bears Nation will love their new power forward,” said Taylor. 

Days is now the eighth professional player signed by the Sea Bears this season, after Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson, David Muenkat, Chad Posthumus, Alex Campbell, Mason Bourcier, and Shane Osayande. The team signed 2023 CEBL MVP, import Teddy Allen on Feb. 7 and drafted developmental players Simon Hildebrandt, Tyler Sagl and Shawn Maranan on April 11. 

Days is one of two American imports signed thus far by the Sea Bears. The maximum number of American players any CEBL team can maintain on their active roster is three. 

The Sea Bears open training camp Monday, May 13 at Sport Manitoba in Winnipeg before they head to Saskatchewan to take on the Rattlers on May 22. The team’s home opener is slated for May 24 at Canada Life Centre against the defending CEBL champions, the Scarborough Shooting Stars. 

About the Winnipeg Sea Bears
The Winnipeg Sea Bears joined the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) as an expansion franchise in 2023. The city's only professional basketball team plays out of Canada Life Centre from May to August in a 20-game regular season schedule. In the team’s inaugural season, it placed second in the Western Conference and set new records for CEBL attendance on three occasions. The organization became the first in CEBL history to win four major awards: MVP (Teddy Allen), Sixth Man of the Year (Jelani Watson-Gayle), U SPORTS Player of the Year (Simon Hildebrandt) and Coach of the Year. The front office subsequently was awarded the 2023 CEBL Franchise of the Year.  

More information on the Sea Bears can be found at seabears.ca and @wpgseabears on Instagram, X, TikTok, LinkedIn & Facebook.

About the 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 73% of its 2023 rosters being Canadian. 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. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. 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.