ONTARIO, AB - The CEBL and Canada Basketball have announced the unification of Canada Basketball with the CEBL that will elevate both Canada Basketball and CEBL to greater heights. The partnership establishes the CEBL as “the Official First Division Professional League of Canada Basketball”, and formally aligns the league a Division 1 League of Canada Basketball.
Canada Basketball is a national sporting organization that is recognized by the International Amateur Basketball Federation. The CEBL will be the only professional sports league in Canada that adheres to the International Basketball Federations rules and regulations, making for a faster-paced, more exciting brand of basketball.
“This is a great time to be a fan or a participant in the sport of basketball in Canada,” remarked Glen Grunwald, the President and CEO of Canada Basketball. “Canada Basketball itself is on the upswing; we’re doing a lot of good things, and it’s showing up in the results.”
Grunwald envisions the partnership having five key benefits, including shared resources in developing officials, coaches, and staff. The partnership also allows the CEBL players and staff to participate in FIBA competitions during the course of the season.
A major benefit, says Grunwald, is the Canadian roster content that will be able to be utilized. A potential USports draft was mentioned, but not confirmed during Thursday’s announcement.
The CEBL is a basketball league by Canadians, for Canadians. According to league rules, at least 70% of each teams’ roster will be comprised of Canadian born players, many who spend the traditional basketball season playing around the world.
Earlier this week, Canada qualified for the 2019 FIBA World Cup, the first time the country has qualified since 2010.
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