Two weeks ago, bringing up the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) in conversation generated quizzical looks. If your conversation partner wasn’t a basketball fanatic, sports fiend or news junkie, it’s unlikely they would know what the 10-team pro league was.
That changed on May 19, when famed American rapper J. Cole—also known as Jermaine Cole, a six-foot-three guard who played professional basketball in Rwanda last year—signed with Scarborough Ont. CEBL side, the Scarborough Shooting Stars. The move, which generated international headlines, is a landmark moment for the CEBL’s recognition and continued growth over the last four years.
The CEBL was founded in 2017 and began play in 2019 with six teams. The league added the Ottawa BlackJacks in 2020 before expanding to Montreal, St. John’s and Scarborough this offseason. Tip-off for the CEBL’s fourth season started May 25, when the BlackJacks fell to the Fraser Valley Bandits in a 90-87 loss at TD Place Arena.
In addition to the expansion, the league experienced dramatic growth this offseason with alumni success. For the first time, five former CEBL players made their NBA debuts, after many NBA teams dealt with COVID-19 outbreaks in December 2021 and January 2022.
The Edmonton Stingers, 2021 CEBL champions, also represented Canada at the Basketball Champions League Americas (BCLA), the highest level of basketball competition in North and South America outside of the NBA.
The Shooting Stars’ ability to woo Cole north of the border is a sign of the league’s rapid growth.
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1527447637137313792
Cole, one of the most popular artists in the world with five certified platinum albums, allowed the CEBL to reach markets it never has before. Bleacher Report, with 30.3 million total followers on Instagram and Twitter, posted the news—their first-ever mention of the CEBL. So did XXL Magazine and Overtime, with 4.4 million followers and 1.1 million followers, respectively.
Drake also shared the news with his 110 million followers on his Instagram story.
It remains to be seen how the Cole signing and the ensuing media coverage will impact the media footprint of the CEBL, but early indications point to a sizable increase in interest.
The Shooting Stars start the season with three road games, all of which are either completely sold out or have a handful of tickets remaining.
This success matters. Growth of the CEBL isn’t just some abstract concept, relevant only to people who cheer for a team in the league. It means increased opportunity for Canadian players and front office executives, allowing Canada’s game to catch up to and pass the rest of the world.
It is reworking the basketball development pipeline, meaning hoopers don’t have to strive for a NCAA Division I basketball career to get the opportunity to play pro ball.
This seismic shift has been slow and steady since the CEBL began play in 2019, but the media attention from J. Cole signing in Scarborough brought the momentum to a crescendo. Everyone is talking about the CEBL now—and you can bet everyone will be talking about it when J. Cole comes to Ottawa on June 2.
Featured Image By Spencer Colby
