AMARI KELLY

POSITION:  Forward

HEIGHT:  6-9 (206 cm)

WEIGHT:  235 lbs (107 kg)

BIRTHDATE:  August 24, 1999 (Roosevelt, NY)

HIGH SCHOOL:  Meadowcreek High School (Norcross, GA)

UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE:  George Mason University (2024)

HOW ACQUIRED:  Signed as free agent on May 9, 2025

YEARS PRO:  1

BIO

PROFESSIONAL CAREER 


Entering the season averaging 11.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 28.1 minutes in 34 games playing professionally in Turkey and the NBA Summer League.


2024-25: Averaged 11.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 28.5 minutes in 33 games for Fenerbahce 2 in Turkey … Ranked first on his team in rebounds per game, and field goal percentage (.570), second in points per game, blocks per game (0.7) and field goals made (114), and third in minutes per game (28.5) … Finished the season posting his professional career-high 25 points along with eight assists, two blocks, and one steal April 19 vs. Ankaragucu … Recorded five double-doubles on the season including a 17-point (8-for-10 shooting), 11-rebound outing January 25 vs. Sigortam.net … Scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds December 29 vs. Konya BBSK … Put up his first of three 20-point games after registering 23 points and eight rebounds November 9 vs. Gaziantep … Started the season strong with 14 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and three blocks September 14 vs. Konya BBSK.


2024: Recorded four points, five rebounds, and 16 minutes in one game with the New York Knicks at NBA Summer League July 20 vs. the Atlanta Hawks.



UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE CAREER 


Averaged 5.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 17.6 minutes in 145 games during a five-year collegiate career at George Mason University, the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and Duquesne University.


2023-24: Transferred to George Mason University … Averaged 12.2 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 28.6 minutes in 31 games as a senior … Showed his versatility after leading the Patriots in both blocks per game, and three-point percentage (.431) … Put up 14 points, five rebounds, and four blocks in final collegiate game March 13 vs. St. Joseph’s … Dropped 19 points with career-high three three-pointers, and six rebounds February 24 vs. Loyola … Recorded 17 points, nine rebounds, while blocking four shots January 27 vs. URI … Secured a monster double-double with career-high 24 points on 8-for-10 shooting from the field and 6-for-7 from the charity stripe, 10 rebounds, two assists, and two blocks December 2 vs. Toledo … Had a 11-point, 11-rebound performance along with one assist, steal, and block November 29 vs. NJIT … In his first game with the Patriots, registered 17 points (6-for-9), eight rebounds, and three blocks November 6 vs. Monmouth.


2022-23: Averaged 8.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 22.8 minutes in 36 games for the Seahawks … Put up 10+ points in nine games including a season-high 16 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks in the CAA Tournament finals March 7 vs. Charleston … Scored 14 points on four-for-four shooting and grabbed seven rebounds February 11 vs. Northeastern … Did it all February 2 vs. NC A&T with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and one steal … Posted his first career double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds (career-high) to go with two blocks and three steals January 16 vs. Elon … Recorded 15 points with seven made free throws, seven rebounds, and two assists January 4 vs. Elon … Had a 14-point, seven-rebound performance while shooting a perfect 7-for-7 from the field in only 15 minutes November 11 vs. Allen.


2021-22: Transferred to the University of North Carolina Wilmington … Averaged 2.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.0 blocks, and 12.2 minutes in 37 games as a junior … Scored a season-high 14 points on 6-for-8 shooting and seven rebounds February 26 vs. Delaware … Posted seven points and six rebounds January 24 vs. Northeastern … Recorded eight points (4-for-4), six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks November 12 vs. Guilford.


2020-21: Averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 7.9 minutes in 14 games for the Dukes … Dropped 13 points on 6-for-7 shooting with five rebounds January 2 vs. GWU.


2019-20: Did not play due to the COVID-19 pandemic.


2018-19: Averaged 2.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 10.6 minutes in 29 games as a freshman with Duquesne … Scored 11 points and grabbed four rebounds January 9 vs. Fordham … Swatted career-high four shots and picked up three rebounds November 30 vs. Pittsburgh.


PERSONAL


Amari Kelly’s (AK) greatest accomplishment is being a father of two boys … He studied criminology throughout his collegiate career … He got into basketball after making a deal with his mother that if he would play football, he also had to play basketball and ended up choosing the latter … His favourite artist is Lil Uzi Vert, his favourite movie is Friday, and he likes to play video games and spend time with his family … His passion is to lead and inspire others.

HONEY BADGERS ANNOUNCE 2026 SEASON SCHEDULE

By Elias Eldridge • January 15, 2026
January 15, 2026 – Brampton, ON – The Brampton Honey Badgers and the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) have unveiled the 2026 season schedule Thursday as the organization and league march forward into their eighth season, which will feature a brand new playoff format. This season marks the first under the Brampton Honey Badgers “new era”, which features a new cast of prominent leadership figures, including CEO Al Whitley who has 22 years of NBA experience with the Dallas Mavericks, working very closely with Mark Cuban. This new team also includes: President Saud Juman, who was the founder of Policy Medical and more recently won the 2025 CEBL Championship as an assistant coach with the Niagara River Lions; Assistant General Manager John Ross who spent 14 seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers in their scouting department; and Director of Revenue Generation Blake Duffy, who spent eight years working up the ranks of Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group (OSEG). The Honey Badgers’s season will officially tip off with a two-game homestand beginning on Friday, May 15 at the CAA Centre versus the Ottawa BlackJacks at 7:30 PM ET, followed by a battle against the Calgary Surge on Sunday, May 17 at 4:00 PM ET. The month of May is an active one for the Black & Gold, playing through six of their 24 regular season games between May 15 - May 30, with five of those six taking place at the CAA Centre. After the home opening weekend, the Honey Badgers hit the road for a quick stop in the Nation’s Capital to face the BlackJacks, then return to Brampton for four straight at home. “Schedule release day is always one of the most exciting days of the offseason,” said Honey Badgers CEO Al Whitley. “This is only the first step of our schedule release, as our fans and the community can expect a strong and exciting slate of themes to be announced with all our games soon. 2026 is a NEW ERA in Honey Badgers history, and we are committed to bringing the very best product and entertainment to our fans and partners alike.” With more theme nights to be announced as the season approaches, the Honey Badgers have already locked in their fifth School Day game at the CAA Centre to take place on Thursday, May 28 at 11:00 AM ET, and their third annual City of Brampton Camp Day game taking place on Tuesday, July 14 at 11:00 AM ET. While May is a big month at the CAA Centre, June is a big one on the road. The Honey Badgers will play five of their seven June games on the road, beginning in Niagara on June 5 and Montreal on June 10 before heading out west to visit the Calgary Surge and Vancouver Bandits on June 17 and June 20, respectively. The Honey Badgers will close the regular season with two games against their crosstown rivals, the Scarborough Shooting Stars. Saturday August 1, the Honey Badgers will host their final regular season game while the Shooting Stars will host theirs on Monday, August 3. This season, the CEBL has altered their playoff format and will be debuting the new CEBL Finals. They will begin with single-elimination Conference Semifinals on Thursday, August 6, where the 1st seed faces the 4th seed and the 2nd seed faces the 3rd seed in each conference. Winners will advance to the single-elimination Conference Finals on Saturday, August 8 with higher seeds hosting each round. The CEBL Finals will be a best-of-three series from August 12–16, marking the first multi-game playoff series in league history: Game 1 – August 12 Game 2 – August 15 Game 3 (if necessary) – August 16 The lower seed team will host Game 1, while the higher seed will host Games 2 and 3 (if necessary), replacing the previous single-elimination Championship Weekend host team model. Full Brampton Honey Badgers Regular Season Schedule:

BLAKE DUFFY JOINS HONEY BADGERS AS DIRECTOR OF REVENUE GENERATION

By Elias Eldridge • January 5, 2026
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) are thrilled to announce Blake Duffy as the organization's director of revenue generation. Blake joins the team with over eight years of sales experience with the Ottawa Sports & Entertainment Group (OSEG), moving his way up from a sales specialist to their director of ticket sales. While Blake has extensive experience in the sales industry, his expertise also covers areas such as business development, strategic business planning, customer service, and public speaking. “We are extremely excited to bring Blake back home to Brampton to join our Honey Badgers family!” said Honey Badgers CEO Al Whitley. “Blake is someone we are very confident can help elevate our front office to new levels. His expertise, professionalism, character, and authenticity make Blake the perfect candidate to help cultivate the Brampton Honey Badgers into champions on and off the court.” Stepping into a brand new role with the Honey Badgers, Blake will look to take after his own professional mission, to drive innovation and collaboration here in Brampton and deliver memorable and impactful engagements and experiences for all individuals at Honey Badgers games, connecting with us out in the community, or interacting with the team at any level. “After spending eight and a half years living in Ottawa and developing my career at OSEG, this decision was not one I made lightly,” said Duffy. “I truly believe in this organization and the direction they are moving in. Under the direction of Al [Whitley], Len [Asper], and Saud [Juman], I could not be more excited and grateful to be a part of this new era of Honey Badgers basketball.” Blake graduated from Carleton University in 2017 holding a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. Outside of the office, he has a huge passion for music and sports, and he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. Season tickets for the 2026 Honey Badgers season are on sale now at honeybadgers.ca . Keep an eye out for the Honey Badgers staff and mascot Hammer around the Brampton and Peel community throughout the offseason for potential prizes and giveaways! ### 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) 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 73% of its rosters being Canadian and more than 10 players with NBA game experience in 2025. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by Tonybet, TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube . Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca

JOHN ROSS JOINS BRAMPTON HONEY BADGERS AS ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER

By Elias Eldridge • December 9, 2025
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) are excited to announce John Ross as assistant general manager. John has spent the better part of the past two decades working in basketball, highlighted by over 14 years with the Portland Trail Blazers and more recently as an assistant coach with the Western Conference Champion Calgary Surge in 2025. With Portland, John worked as a video coordinator with both the coaching and scouting staff. He played a pivotal role in the organization's 2009-2011 stretch of playoff appearances, and also their rebuild starting with the draft acquisitions of Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. This backcourt duo was the catalyst for eight consecutive playoff appearances between 2014-2021, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2019. “Basketball is one of my deepest passions, and I am very grateful to be able to continue my career in this game with the Honey Badgers,” said Ross. “I could not be more excited to work alongside Al [Whitley] and Jermaine [Anderson] to help put together a team that will not only excel on the court, but also in the Peel and Brampton community.” Since moving on from the Trail Blazers in 2022, John has expanded his work experience to both coaching, and teaching. As an assistant coach with the Calgary Surge in 2025, he helped lift the Surge to their second finals appearance in franchise history, after posting a 17-7 record on the season. In terms of teaching, John founded an organization called GET IN THE GAME 101, an educational resource designed to assist young adults in answering the question “What do I do to get a job in the NBA?”. Here, John provides his insights into what it takes to move your career into the biggest stage that basketball has to offer. You can follow his substack here to read more. Beyond basketball, John is a humanitarian, serving at-risk children for over a decade in Zimbabwe and making multiple visits to Ukraine to support refugee relief. “John’s high-level experience, combined with his understanding of what it means to help others, fits with what we are looking for in our organization,” said Honey Badgers CEO Al Whitley. “We are excited to have John assist in leading our basketball operations staff going forward and are confident that he is going to help us in promoting selflessness and winning.” Season tickets for the 2026 Honey Badgers season are on sale now at honeybadgers.ca . Keep an eye out for the Honey Badgers staff and Hammer around the Brampton and Peel community throughout the offseason for potential prizes and giveaways! ### 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) 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 73% of its rosters being Canadian and more than 10 players with NBA game experience in 2025. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by Tonybet, TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube . Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca



PROFESSIONAL STATISTICS

**BEFORE 2025 CEBL SEASON

Totals

Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2024-25 Fenerbahce 2 (Turkey) 33 939 393 114-200 34-98 63-98 70 149 219 50 66 22 21 63
2024 New York Knicks (NBA Summer League 1 16 4 2-3 0-0 0-0 3 2 5 0 0 0 0 1
Totals 34 955 397 116-203 34-98 63-98 73 151 224 50 66 22 21 64

Averages

Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2024-25 Fenerbahce 2 (Turkey) 33 28.5 11.9 0.570 0.347 0.643 2.1 4.5 6.6 1.5 2.0 0.7 0.6 1.9
2024 New York Knicks (NBA Summer League 1 16.0 4.0 0.667 0.000 0.000 3.0 2.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.0
Totals 34 28.1 11.7 0.571 0.347 0.643 2.1 4.4 6.6 1.5 1.9 0.6 0.6 1.9

COLLEGIATE STATISTICS

Totals

Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2023-24 George Mason 31 886 378 115-196 25-58 73-96 67 127 194 34 96 40 14 73
2022-23 UNC Wilmington 34 792 265 100-168 4-12 53-82 77 110 187 25 107 34 27 58
2021-22 UNC Wilmington 37 451 102 45-87 0-2 12-21 56 48 104 8 77 36 14 20
2020-21 Duquesne 14 111 35 16-32 1-3 0-1 10 10 20 0 22 4 2 9
2018-19 Duquesne 29 308 60 27-55 1-8 3-10 29 31 60 9 65 20 7 32
Totals 145 2548 840 314-551 31-83 141-212 239 326 565 76 367 134 64 192

Averages

Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2023-24 George Mason 31 28.6 12.2 0.587 0.431 0.760 2.2 4.1 6.3 1.1 3.1 1.3 0.5 2.4
2022-23 UNC Wilmington 34 23.3 7.8 0.595 0.333 0.646 2.3 3.2 5.5 0.7 3.1 1.0 0.8 1.7
2021-22 UNC Wilmington 37 12.2 2.8 0.517 0.000 0.571 1.5 1.3 2.8 0.2 2.1 1.0 0.4 0.5
2020-21 Duquesne 14 7.9 2.5 0.500 0.333 0.000 0.7 0.7 1.4 0.0 1.6 0.3 0.1 0.6
2018-19 Duquesne 29 10.6 2.1 0.491 0.125 0.300 1.0 1.1 2.1 0.3 2.2 0.7 0.2 1.1
Totals 145 17.6 5.8 0.570 0.373 0.665 1.6 2.2 3.9 0.5 2.5 0.9 0.4 1.3