Al Whitley was content in his post-basketball life after 22 years in the Dallas Mavericks front office. Then, Leonard Asper bought the Brampton Honey Badgers. Asper, a friend and business associate of Mark Cuban, sought expertise from the ex-Mavericks owner. Cuban referred him to Whitley, and it didn’t take long for the relationship to become official. “When it was presented to me,” recalled Whitley, now CEO of the Honey Badgers, “I think it was just an opportunity I couldn't say no to.” Whitley’s hire was announced in November. Six months later, Cuban joined the team’s ownership group. In between, the Honey Badgers rebuilt their entire franchise, including a trio of star free-agent signings in MVP runner-up Sean East II, Defensive Player of the Year Jameer Nelson Jr., and Canadian forward Keon Ambrose-Hylton. “Everybody's energized. We call it the new era in Brampton. I think the community is seeing that and embracing that. And we can't wait,” Whitley said. That new era of Honey Badgers basketball will tip off Friday when the team hosts the Ottawa BlackJacks at the CAA Centre (7:30 p.m. ET, CBC Gem/YouTube/CEBL+). Brampton is looking to bounce back from a pair of seasons in which its combined record was 11-33, including a 5-19 mark last year. The Honey Badgers have not won a playoff game since the franchise’s lone title in 2022. Of course, there’s plenty of reason to believe that could change now. And Whitley isn’t shying away from it. “Our expectations are to compete for a championship. That's Day 1. That's been the message. That’s gonna be our standard,” Whitley said. East II, the 26-year-old from Louisville, said it all begins with one simple goal. “We’re definitely going to be better than last year. That’s what we’re going towards. … We’re just going to keep putting the work in and see what you guys think,” the star guard said. For the 52-year-old Whitley, who’s been around Canadian basketball royalty his entire life — from growing up with Steve Nash to crossing paths with him in Dallas — the chance to make a direct impact on Canadian basketball through the Honey Badgers was greatly appealing. He said he’s kept tabs on the CEBL throughout its existence and received positive reviews from Mavericks coaches who spent time in the league. “This is the golden age of Canadian basketball. The talent in the NBA is unbelievable. And so anything I can do to help grow the game up here through my experiences in the NBA and beyond, I was definitely all in to try,” Whitley said. The Honey Badgers project was a big one, but Whitley knew he could lean on his expertise from his time in the NBA. After all, he was there as Dirk Nowitzki broke through for an NBA title in 2011, and he watched as great point guards like Nash, Jason Kidd and Luka Doncic plied their trades in Dallas. “For me it was just the gratitude to be around them every day, to see their approach, to see their mindset, how disciplined they are, what they do, that the small things matter, attention to detail matters. To be a part of that and see these guys on a day-to-day basis was an incredible experience for me and one that I did not take for granted,” Whitley said. Perhaps that point-guard influence is why Whitley targeted East II and Nelson Jr. among his key free-agent additions. East II enjoyed a remarkable first CEBL season with the Edmonton Stingers last year, when he put up the most points in the league while averaging 22.8 per game to go with 4.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 53.4 per cent shooting. Nelson Jr., meanwhile, paced the league in total steals and steals per game. “They got the right program over here,” East II said. “Like an NBA facility, running like an NBA organization. I don't know, just something about it was interesting to me. I just gravitated towards it.” Indeed, Whitley said player development was a key part of his free-agency pitch. “Our job is that these guys all come in and they are better when they leave. And how are they better? We have the system in place with our scouts, with our coaching staff, with my NBA experience, even at our executive level with our GM and assistant GM, where these guys are going to get better this summer,” Whitley said. “And we've kind of set it up like a G League type of environment in terms of development, right? We're trying to get them their next jobs and that's our job.” East II said Ambrose-Hylton was already aboard when he was first approached after a G League game about joining the Honey Badgers. It was only later that Nelson Jr. — who he has played with and against since college — also made the move. None of them knew at the time, of course, that they would be playing for Cuban-owned team. For Whitley, however, that was just a natural progression of the rapidly rising Honey Badgers. “There's a loyalty aspect there that goes a long way with Mark,” Whitley said. “Mark, at the end of the day, is a basketball junkie. He loves the game and he wants to see it grow on a world stage and he knows a ton about Canada. He's been up here a bunch of times with myself and my friends, he thinks Toronto and the GTA is a world-class city, so I think it was a very easy decision for him.” Even still, it was among the first things East II mentioned when asked about his new digs. “I like the city. It's pretty big. Nice apartments. Everything's nice. Nice facilities. Great arena. Great everything, man. Just got Mark Cuban on ownership. Everything's great. High energy. Just got to get it rolling towards the season,” he said. Whitley said the biggest lesson he learned over decades with Cuban in Dallas was that the fan experience is most important. In the CEBL, he said, that manifests itself in target time, when the action increases in excitement instead of turning into a foul-fest. But he also knows the ultimate fan experience ends in a win. “We want to be a franchise that our community is proud of on and off the court. And so that's my mindset,” Whitley said. “It's affordable entertainment. These are incredibly talented basketball players. The competition this year is going to be the best it's ever been in CEBL history, in my opinion. And we can't wait to get started.” ### 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) The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) is Canada’s professional basketball league, featuring 10 member clubs across six provinces. Powered by elite talent, a fast-paced game format, and deep community connections, the CEBL delivers high-level basketball and unforgettable summer experiences for fans nationwide. The league boasts the youngest fan base in Canadian professional sport, half under age 34, and one of the fastest-growing audiences in the country, now reaching nearly 4.1 million Canadians. This momentum reflects the CEBL’s ability to deliver dynamic, thrilling gameplay while connecting deeply with a new generation of fans and expanding basketball’s cultural footprint across Canada. The CEBL is where elite performance meets homegrown talent. In 2025, 17 players with NBA experience hit the court, while nearly 70% of the league’s roster was Canadian, the highest concentration of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. Running from May through August, the CEBL’s season is a showcase of top basketball talent and a summer hub for fast-paced, high-energy fan excitement. Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Coordinator Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca