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CEBL Guelph Nighthawks

Lawson Becomes Fourth CEBL Star to Sign Two-Way NBA Contract

July 28, 2022 - Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)
Guelph Nighthawks News Release


The Minnesota Timberwolves announced Wednesday that they have signed Guelph Nighthawks guard A.J. Lawson to a two-way contract. Lawson becomes the fourth player to have played with a Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) team to be later signed to an NBA two-way contract after Canadian, Lindell Wigginton of the Hamilton Honey Badgers signed with the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, Xavier Sneed of the Niagara River Lions with the Utah Jazz and three-time CEBL Player of The Year, Xavier Moon of the Edmonton Stingers signed with the Los Angeles Clippers earlier this year. He also becomes the second Guelph player to sign an NBA contract, joining Cat Barber who signed a 10-day contract with the Atlanta Hawks in December 2021.

The Toronto native has appeared in 10 games for Guelph, averaging 16.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists this season. He started all 10 of his appearances with the Nighthawks.

"There are two words: mission accomplished," said Nighthawks Head Coach and General Manager, Charles Kissi. "We are so proud of A.J. and the work he put in this summer. His focus was unmatched. He was a willing learner and brought a great energy and attitude to practice every day. He earned this opportunity by taking advantage of what we had to offer in Guelph. It speaks volumes about our players and our staff who all are behind him cheering him on."

The CEBL has graduated five players onto an NBA roster in the past eight months including Wigginton, Hamilton Honey Badgers (15 games played with the Bucks), Moon, Edmonton Stingers (10 games played with the Clippers), Sneed (five games played with the Memphis Grizzlies), Barber (three games with the Hawks), and Javin DeLaurier, Niagara River Lions (one game played with the Bucks).

Ten players with prior NBA experience have played in the CEBL. They include Brianté Weber, Hamilton Honey Badgers (42 games total with Memphis, Miami, Golden State, Charlotte, Houston), Cat Barber, Guelph Nighthawks (three games played with Atlanta), Deng Adel, Ottawa BlackJacks (nine games played with Cleveland), Kyle Alexander, Scarborough Shooting Stars (two games played with Miami), Jalen Harris, Scarborough Shooting Stars (13 games played with Toronto), Brandon Sampson Jr., Newfoundland Growlers, (14 games played with Chicago), Kris Joseph, Niagara River Lions and Ottawa BlackJacks (10 games total with Boston, Brooklyn), Lucas Nogueira, Guelph Nighthawks (141 games played for Toronto), Walt Lemon Jr, Ottawa BlackJacks (11 games played with Chicago and Boston) and Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Hamilton Honey Badgers and Scarborough Shooting Stars, (five games played with Memphis).

The CEBL began its fourth season on May 25. A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 71 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow us (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.



Canadian Elite Basketball League Stories from July 28, 2022


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