LANGLEY, BC, June 20, 2024 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed proven Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) sharpshooter Devonte Bandoo for the remainder of the 2024 season.
A former guard with the Baylor University Bears (2018-20), Devontee was named the Big 12 Conference’s sixth man of the year in 2020.
Following his NCAA Division I tenure, he suited up for the Grand Rapids Gold and Lakeland Magic (now known as Osceola Magic), NBA G League affiliates of the Denver Nuggets and Orlando Magic, respectively, in the NBA G League.
Bandoo also represented Canada’s senior men’s national team, donning the red and white at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup.
“I am happy to join the Bandits Basketball family and to play in front of a great fanbase. I am excited to be part of an organization that wants to win,” Bandoo said.
Bandoo is no stranger to CEBL fans. He played with the Saskatchewan Rattlers during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and was named the club’s Canadian player of the year in 2022 after averaging 16.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 34.9 minutes per game.
He led the CEBL during the regular season in total three-pointers made (64) while shooting 43 per cent from behind the arc.
Bandoo signed a contract following the 2022 CEBL season with the Leicester Riders in the British Basketball League (BBL) for the 2022-23 campaign, but his time overseas was cut short after sustaining a leg injury. He has since been recovering from the injury and is preparing for a return to play this summer.
A native of Mississauga, Ont., Bandoo made his professional debut with the Rattlers in 2021. He played 14 games and averaged 33 minutes per contest. He led the offence with a team-high 17.4 points per game. He made 43 three-pointers and shot 42.4% from three-point range, which was third in all of the CEBL.
Prior to his professional career, Bandoo enjoyed a stellar collegiate career that culminated with him playing his final two years of eligibility at Baylor University in Texas.
During the 2019-20 collegiate season, Bandoo helped the Bears achieve a school-record 23-game winning streak, which earned Baylor a No. 1 ranking for five-straight weeks. In his final year with the Bears, Bandoo shot a team-leading 38.5 per cent from three-point range and averaged 7.6 points and 3.6 rebounds per game during a shortened season.
Prior to transferring to Baylor, Bandoo played two years for Hutchinson Community College in Kansas. The 6-foot-3 guard helped Hutchinson Community College claim the 2017 NJCAA Division I national championship where he scored a season-high and team-leading 22 points in the championship game against Eastern Florida State College.
Vancouver is back at home on Saturday, June 22 to defend home court against the Ottawa BlackJacks at Langley Events Centre (LEC) as part of the club’s Indigenous Celebration Game.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. PT. Tickets for the highly anticipated and fast-selling game are on sale now at this link.
Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of Bandits tickets are invited to consider a flex pack. More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing [email protected].
A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
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For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Savory, Vice President of Business Operations, Vancouver Bandits, (604) 217-6213, [email protected]
About the Vancouver Bandits:
The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club
in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that
combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top
professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC). More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.
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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. 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 with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.