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Vancouver Bandits Sign Former CEBL Champion and Sixth Man of the Year Koby McEwen for the 2024 Season

February 20, 2024

Decorated champion and NCAA all-star brings international and NBA G League experience to BC’s professional basketball team

LANGLEY, B.C., February 20, 2024 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Tuesday that the club has signed 2022 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) champion Koby McEwen for the club’s upcoming season of professional basketball at Langley Events Centre (LEC).


The 2024 campaign will be McEwen’s third year in the CEBL after spending his previous two seasons with the Brampton Honey Badgers. 


The 26-year-old native from Toronto, Ont. departs Brampton as the franchise’s all-time leader in minutes played (1123) and assists (155). McEwen ranked first on the Honey Badgers in minutes played (31.9 per game) as well as assists per game (5.4) last season. His 13.7 points per game placed him second in scoring behind only Christian Vital, whom McEwen won a CEBL championship alongside in 2022. To cap off a strong 2022 season, McEwen also took home CEBL Sixth Man of the Year honours.


"I am excited to be joining an organization with the potential to do so many great things in this league. We have an opportunity to bring a championship to this city and to the fans who support us throughout the season. I am excited to embark on this new journey with the Bandits and work tirelessly to contribute to winning. I’m all in!" McEwen said.


Although just two years into his young professional career, McEwen has developed a reputation as a reliable scorer and clutch performer who is capable of making his teammates better. In the 2022 CEBL championship game he scored 16 points in just 24 minutes played; including three three-pointers.


Fast forward to 2023 and McEwen continued to establish himself as one of the CEBL’s premier guards, nailing 82 per cent of his attempts from the free throw line, which placed him first in the CEBL among eligible players. 


A 6-foot-4 combo guard, his strong play in the CEBL has set the stage for an impressive international career; including stints with Norrköping (Sweden) in the prestigious FIBA Europe Cup and his current club GTK Gliwice in Poland. 


McEwen has also represented Canada on the international stage, suiting up for the red and white at both the FIBA U16 Americas Championship in 2013 and FIBA U17 World Cup in 2014.


Further enhancing McEwen’s solid resumé is his tenure of success in North America. McEwen starred at Utah State University for two seasons before transferring to Marquette University. McEwen wrapped up five years of NCAA Division I basketball at Weber State in 2021-22 where he was named 2022 Big Sky Newcomer of the Year and earned first-team All-Big Sky honours after finishing fourth in the conference in scoring with 18.2 points per game.


After graduating from Weber State in 2022 and beginning his professional career in 2022-23, McEwen culminated a strong pro rookie season by playing for his hometown Raptors 905, the NBA G League affiliate of the Toronto Raptors. He played in seven games and scored a season-high 13 points on 4-for-6 shooting on March 25, 2023, versus the Greensboro Swarm.


“Koby was one of the top Canadian free agents in our league. Koby embodies our culture and the way we want to play. He is a two-way threat and someone we have targeted the past three years. I can't wait to have him join our family and enhance our culture,” said Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius.


Season tickets as well as flex packs are currently on sale for the Bandits’ sixth CEBL campaign and are available for purchase at this link. Single game tickets are expected to go on sale later this spring.


Fans will get their first opportunity to watch the Bandits on Thursday, May 23 at 7 p.m. PT when Vancouver opens its season at home when the Montréal Alliance visit Langley Events Centre.


Vancouver will play a total of 10 regular season home games in 2024 between Thursday, May 23 and Thursday, July 18. The Bandits wrap up regular season action on the road against Montréal on Sunday, July 28 at 1 p.m. PT. 


All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform,
CEBL+, and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices).


Individuals interested in learning more about tickets for the Vancouver Bandits’ upcoming 2024 season are kindly asked to call (604) 455-8881 or email
[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.



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).



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.

January 15, 2025
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday that Jermaine Anderson will once again lead the club as general manager and vice president of basketball operations, returning for a sixth season with the organization. Since being appointed general manager in December 2019, the Honey Badgers have accumulated a 43-43 (.500) overall record, featuring four consecutive CEBL Playoff appearances (2020-23), two CEBL Championship Weekend appearances (2020, 2022), and a CEBL Championship in 2022. “Despite experiencing some turnover over the past two years, our organization’s core values remain steadfast,” said Anderson. “We take immense pride in delivering a comprehensive and holistic player development experience. We are confident that we are well-positioned to foster a culture that empowers our players to excel both on and off the court.” During Anderson’s tenure, 10 players have elevated their careers to the NBA G League with four players signing contracts with NBA clubs, including Javonte Cooke (Oklahoma City Thunder), Lindell Wigginton (Milwaukee Bucks), Christian Vital (Toronto Raptors), and Nino Johnson (Utah Jazz). Since 2020, 75 of the 96 players who have worn the black and gold pinstripes have played professionally around the world in the fall following the season, excluding six players who returned to their respective university basketball programs. “Jermaine (Anderson) shares our organization's vision of creating a great experience for all our players which allows them to reach their full potential into the next stages of their careers,” said Josie Pingitore, vice president of the Brampton Honey Badgers. “He has built both a competitive and positive culture amongst our players, coaches, and staff, making our organization a desirable one to play for.” After joining the Honey Badgers organization more than five years ago, Anderson spent the CEBL off-season as a player development coach with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association from 2019-22. Before transitioning to a front office role, Anderson had an impressive 14-year playing career (2004-18) that totaled more than 80 international games representing Canada. He also suited up in 294 games for 15 teams in eight different countries across Europe from 2008-17. An Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute graduate, Anderson earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing while playing at Fordham University. He averaged 10.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 30.2 minutes in 111 games during a four-year tenure with the Rams. Following his playing career, Anderson became a player development coach for Canada Basketball, handling player relations duties that ensured players had access to training facilities and health care across the country. In 2018, Anderson founded the Fifty For Free Youth Community Initiative, a not-for-profit organization based in Toronto and Halifax focused on building character, cultivating financial literacy, and developing basketball skills with youth from underserved communities. Anderson’s announcement follows the reveal of the Honey Badgers expanded 2025 schedule in December, featuring a slate of 24 games. Brampton’s campaign opens on the road May 18 against the Montreal Alliance, followed by a visit to the nation’s capital May 21 to take on the Ottawa BlackJacks. The Honey Badgers will then return home to host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on May 25 in the club’s home opener. Ticket packages to catch all of the action at the CAA Centre are now available, including season tickets , half season pack , group experiences , and more! Visit honeybadgers.ca/tickets or contact [email protected] for more information. ### About the Brampton Honey Badgers One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the 2022 CEBL Champion Brampton Honey Badgers proudly call the CAA Centre home. The Brampton front office and basketball operations department bring NBA, NBA G League, national team, NCAA and major international pro league experience to the franchise. With a vision of promoting Brampton grassroots basketball and local businesses through community and corporate engagement, the Honey Badgers will leverage the explosion of basketball as a vehicle for innovation and change. For more information visit honeybadgers.ca . About the Canadian Elite Basketball League (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 12 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. Twenty-two 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 . 
December 18, 2024
The holiday season is about spending time and celebrating with friends and loved ones while also supporting important causes and initiatives in the community. The Honey Badgers front office staff visited the Regeneration Marketplace and the Regeneration Marketplace on Tuesday afternoon to sort food donations, portion meals, stock shelves and assist guests with food selection. “As leaders in our Brampton community, it is extremely important for us to collaborate with local organizations that continue to make a positive impact in the lives of others on a daily basis,” said Josie Pingitore, vice president of the Brampton Honey Badgers. “Our organization is committed to continue to make strides in our community growth, not only during the holiday season but throughout the calendar year.” Regeneration Marketplace is a local food bank in the heart of downtown Brampton, operating to provide quality, helpful food and household items for those in need in the community. Open 365 days a year, they proudly serve 39,000+ meals annually with more than 1,100 households receiving the necessary food and goods on a weekly basis. “Right now we are just inundated with donations, and the work the Honey Badgers did to help us sort saved us so much time,” said Katie Cleland, director of development at Regeneration Outreach Community. “This will help us get the food on the shelves much quicker so that we can serve more people this week.” The Honey Badgers staff were also joined by Amisha Moorjani, owner of The Food Quotient, and Rod Power, City of Brampton Councillor of Wards 7 and 8. This is one of many initiatives that the Honey Badgers and Councillor Power have collaborated on this holiday season, including turkey drives and Christmas dinners for underprivileged youth. To learn more about how you can contribute to the Regeneration Office & Meal Program or Regeneration Marketplace, please contact [email protected] or visit www.regenbrampton.com .
December 4, 2024
Chaque équipe visitera chaque ville en 2025 alors que la ligue dévoile le calendrier de sa septième saison
December 4, 2024
Every team visits every city in 2025 as league unveils CEBL 2025 schedule for seventh season
November 28, 2024
LANGLEY, BC - The Vancouver Bandits professional basketball team is proud to announce the launch of the Bandits Community Foundation - the team’s dedicated charitable and philanthropic arm. This foundation is committed to empowering youth and driving positive change across British Columbia through innovative basketball and education programs. The Bandits Community Foundation will prioritize creating pathways for youth and adults to excel both on and off the court. Its initiatives include supporting local nonprofits, increasing access to basketball in underserved communities, and creating meaningful opportunities for individuals to engage in the sport—all while fostering community connections and personal growth. “We believe in the power of community and the ability of sports to inspire, unite, and create lasting change,” said Dylan Kular, Executive Director of the Bandits Community Foundation. “The launch of the Bandits Community Foundation is a commitment to giving back and empowering the next generation. Together, we are building a brighter future, one bucket at a time.” To guide this effort, the Bandits Community Foundation will be guided by an esteemed Board of Directors: Shawn Dheensaw, Basketball BC Executive Director Teresa Gabriele, Canada Basketball national team alumni Charles Hethey, O’Neil Law LLP Lawyer and Partner Dylan Kular, Vancouver Bandits Basketball Team President Peter Natrall, ISPARC Regional Coordinator Kim Smith-Gaucher, 3x3 Canada Basketball Women’s Head Coach Lucky Toor, TGL Group CPA’s LLP Co-Founder and Partner Full biographies of the Foundation’s board members can be found here . In addition to basketball-centred programs, the Foundation will support local charities, schools, and community organizations through scholarships, mentorship opportunities, and event collaborations. Its overarching vision is to ensure sport and education are accessible to all, regardless of socio-economic circumstances. The Vancouver Bandits have long championed community engagement through initiatives such as: Court Projects: Building and refurbishing outdoor basketball courts across BC Bandits School Tour: Delivering cost-free basketball workshops and practice instruction to high school teams Community Champion Initiative: Providing youth and families in need with the special experience of a Vancouver Bandits game Indigenous Basketball Collective: A partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council to foster opportunities for Indigenous players and coaches The Bandits Community Foundation invites individuals and businesses to join its mission, amplifying its impact through donations and partnerships. Every contribution helps provide vital tools, experiences, and support for youth to thrive. For more information about the Bandits Community Foundation, its programs, or ways to get involved, visit www.banditsfoundation.ca . Follow the Foundation’s journey on social media: Instagram , Facebook , and Twitter @BanditsFoundation.
November 21, 2024
The Canadian Elite Basketball League mourns the loss of one of our most beloved players, Chad Posthumus. Chad was a founding player in our league, helping lead Saskatchewan to the inaugural CEBL championship in 2019. He was a fan favourite in ensuing years playing with Ottawa and Winnipeg and representing Edmonton and Brampton in international tournaments. Chad had a love for people and for the game of basketball that lit up even the largest arenas. His spirit and passion touched the hearts of fans and inspired teammates and all of us blessed to have shared Chad’s all-too-brief life with him. Chad represented the best in aspiring Canadian basketball players during his professional career in Japan, Argentina, and here at home. Off the court he was an Academic All-American in college and was a dedicated advocate for those living with Diabetes. The impact Chad made on our world is as undeniable as the force that he was on the court. Our deepest sympathies go out to Chad’s family, his legion of friends, fans, and teammates, and to the Winnipeg Sea Bears organization. - CEBL -
By Josh Kozelj November 18, 2024
How Jon Giesbrecht brought mindfulness to Vancouver — paving the way for the best season in franchise history
November 14, 2024
Award-winning Canadian entrepreneur becomes co-owner of the league, with the goal of growing the business of basketball in Canada
November 14, 2024
L’entrepreneur canadien primé devient copropriétaire de la ligue, avec pour objectif de développer la commercialisation du basketball au Canada
By Myles Dichter November 14, 2024
Drew Green’s basketball roots run deep. Green, the CEO of Indochino, played high-school hoops against the likes of Rowan Barrett, starred on the York University squad and went on to ply his trade professionally in Australia and Singapore. Now, his two sons are forging their own careers in the sport — and Green is right there with them. On Thursday, the CEBL announced that the accomplished executive was coming aboard as its first-ever Chair of the Board of Governors and co-owner. “We are a basketball family, right? We've been in the gym, my sons and I, thousands and thousands of hours. We have an NBA half court literally in our front yard that we built during COVID. And so this is going to be a lot of fun,” he said. It’s a partnership that fits as snugly as a well-tailored suit. The Scarborough, Ont., native said that watching his sons find their love for basketball in recent years reignited his own affinity for the sport. “The two areas of passion in my life are basketball and business. And they interplay really well with this role,” Green said. Throughout the many business ventures, Green said his first job was as a father to Liam and Aidan and as a husband to his wife, Andrea Dayco. While his sons are triple-citizens of Canada, the U.S. and the Philippines, Green has made it a point to raise them with Canadian values — and to push them toward the national basketball culture. “I've seen the evolution of basketball in this country firsthand. When I played in high school, I think we had one, maybe two people that ever played in the NBA. The ability to play in the U.S. and go to and play (NCAA) Division One basketball didn't really exist. “Rowan was one of that first cohorts that played, and that was amazing, but it was so rare.” Now, there are nearly 200 Canadians playing in college basketball’s top division. Among those players is Liam, who recently accepted a five-year scholarship at Florida Atlantic University. Aidan plays for the renowned prep school Montverde Academy, which produced the likes of current Raptors RJ Barrett and Scottie Barnes. Liam heads to FAU with some CEBL background, having practised with Vancouver Bandits head coach Kyle Julius. Green said the CEBL has quickly become a foundational piece of the Canadian basketball landscape through its partnership with U Sports, its reach to all corners of the country and its affordability. “I think there's just an amazing group of people involved in the league that are really passionate about growing the sport, growing the business (and) providing a really, really incredible experience to customers. “You've got some of the best athletes in Canada and the world playing in the games. … The product continues to get better and better every year,” he said. Besides his impressive basketball resumé, Green has enjoyed a long, successful career in business. He took over as CEO of Indochino, the men’s formal-wear company, 10 years ago and proceeded to launch its retail business, raise over $100 million in strategic capital commitments and guide the brand through the pandemic. Prior to Indochino, Green founded Canada’s first multi-merchant marketplace (now owned by Emerge Commerce) and was an executive at DoubleClick (acquired by Google) and Shop.com. At the CEBL, Green will help introduce the league to potential partners and investors while assisting the league and team owners on business matters. CEBL commissioner Mike Morreale called the partnership with Green “an incredible win.” “Drew’s business success speaks for itself and his passion for the game mimics all involved in making the CEBL a homegrown and global success. His personal financial investment into the league demonstrates his strong belief of our bright future and recognizes the foundation that has been built during our formative years,” Morreale said. “Personally, I look forward to getting right to work with Drew on the next stage of the CEBL and the growth of our game.” Green said the CEBL is on a “great trajectory,” but projected plenty of growth potential too. “Whether that's sponsors or investors or other types of strategic partners that really align with growing the game of basketball and growing the business of basketball in Canada, I think there's lots and lots of opportunities,” he said. “When you try to do something on your own in life, it often takes you a lot longer than it should at the core of it. And so that's why partnerships have always been a core ethos of mine to build businesses.” Green also remained connected to sports through business as Indochino established partnerships throughout the four major North American sports leagues. There was one NBA draft, Green said, in which half of the first round wore Indochino — though the company cannot take credit for Gradey Dick’s infamously bedazzled red suit. “We had a deal to provide him with suits and actually suited him up,” Green recalled, “and then I saw the suit and I was like, what the, how did that happen? That was not an Indochino. So he went off the reservation and did his own thing, but good on him. It got a lot of hits.” Like Dick, CEBL players have quickly become known for their personal branding and tunnel fits. Now, with a former hooper in Green on board, the CEBL brand itself is ready to truly take off. “I just think the CEBL will play a really critical, critical role in the evolution of the game over these next couple decades,” Green said, “and inspire a whole new generation of young athletes to go after their dreams.”
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