Vancouver Bandits Sign Kelowna's Grant Shephard for 2023 Canadian Elite Basketball League Season

LANGLEY, B.C., April 27, 2023 – The Vancouver Bandits announced Thursday that the club has signed 6-foot-10 forward Grant Shephard for its upcoming Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC). 

A native of Kelowna, B.C., Shephard recently finished his fifth season of U SPORTS hoops and is coming off of back-to-back national championships with the Carleton University Ravens in 2022 and 2023.

The 2022-23 campaign saw Shephard enjoy the most decorated season of his career, which garnered him recognition as an Ontario University Athletics (OUA) second team all-star, as well as a nod as a U SPORTS Final 8 tournament all-star thanks to helping Carleton win its 17th national title. 

Shephard finished second on the Ravens in scoring, averaging 14.8 points and led the team in rebounds with 10 per game. His 60.9 per cent accuracy from field goal range not only led the Ravens, but placed him fifth in the nation. 

The skilled big man leaves Carleton with U SPORTS career averages of 13.3 points and 7.5 rebounds on 60.4 per cent shooting from the field in 22.1 minutes per game. Shephard split his five years of post-secondary basketball between the University of British Columbia (2017-20) and Carleton (2021-23). 

This will be Shephard’s third stint in the CEBL after previously being drafted as a U SPORTS Development Athlete by the Bandits in 2019 and the Niagara River Lions in 2021. Over two CEBL seasons, Shephard appeared in a combined 20 games and averaged 8.4 minutes, 2.7 points and 1.8 rebounds per game.

“I am extremely grateful and looking forward to joining the Bandits family again. This group is full of guys hungry to win and compete all summer. The season brings a huge opportunity for growth and I can’t wait to show the Vancouver fanbase the energy they are looking for,” Shephard said. “I take immense pride in being able to begin my professional career for my home province and I am excited to get to work.”

Shephard is no stranger to LEC. Before taking his talents to Montverde Academy in Florida where he finished his high school career at the prestigious preparatory basketball program, Shephard played for his hometown Kelowna Secondary Owls. Shephard and the Owls won the 2016 B.C. AAAA provincial championship at LEC – Shephard, only in Gr. 11 at the time, took home MVP honours.

“Grant is a proven U SPORTS winner. He has great size and the ability to be an impact player in the CEBL. We are really excited to start working with Grant,” Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius said.

The Bandits tip-off the 2023 CEBL campaign on Saturday, May 27 when the club takes on the Winnipeg Sea Bears at Canada Life Centre. Fans will have their first chance to watch Shephard on home soil at 7 p.m. PT on Saturday, June 3 when Vancouver welcomes the Calgary Surge for its first-ever visit to LEC.

Season and single game tickets for the fifth season of Bandits Basketball are available for purchase. A full seat map, price chart breakdown and season schedule can be found by clicking here.

A key highlight of Vancouver’s fifth CEBL campaign will be its hosting of Championship Weekend, which takes place between Friday, August 11 and Sunday, August 13. An annual celebration of the highest level of Canadian professional basketball, Championship Weekend features a postseason format that combines three games of playoff basketball as part of a multi-day festival experience designed to celebrate the intersection of arts, culture and sport. As hosts of Championship Weekend, the Bandits receive an automatic semifinal berth.

Individuals interested in learning more about tickets for the Vancouver Bandits’ 2023 season are kindly asked to call 604.455.8881 or email [email protected]. 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 71 percent of its 2022 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. 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.