Brampton Honey Badgers and The Magic of Basketball™ Announce Strategic Partnership to Champion Girls and Women in Sport

Elias Eldridge • July 15, 2025


The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) are proud to announce a groundbreaking strategic partnership with The Magic of Basketball™ (MoB), a visionary sports and leadership organization co-founded by WNBA veteran and Canadian Olympian Kayla Alexander and sports business leader Kelly Gianopoulos.


This long-term partnership is anchored in a shared mission: to empower girls and women to realize their full potential through the power of sport, leadership, and community.


The collaboration officially tips off on
July 27, 2025, when The Magic of Basketball™ will launch co-branded mini clinics for girls aged 12-17 during the Brampton Honey Badgers’ home game and outdoor festival at the CAA Centre. In partnership with Canada Basketball, clinic participants will also receive a ticket to the Brampton Honey Badgers game, and a ticket to GLOBL JAM, Canada’s premier international basketball showcase, running August 13-17 in Toronto. The girls’ clinics will continue throughout the year as part of this ongoing partnership, empowering more young athletes through consistent access to high-quality basketball programming.


"This partnership with The Magic of Basketball represents everything we stand for as an organization,"
said Josie Pingitore, President of the Brampton Honey Badgers. "We believe in sport’s ability to transform lives, build confidence, and open doors—and there’s no better partner than MoB to bring that vision to life for young women in Brampton and beyond. Together with Canada Basketball, we’re proud to build something lasting, impactful, and inclusive."


Co-founded by Kayla Alexander—an eight-season WNBA player, two-time Olympian, and 2024 LF Endesa Champion and Finals MVP with Valencia Basketball—and Kelly Gianopoulos, a respected sports business executive and founder of Standing Room Entertainment Group, The Magic of Basketball™ is a cultural force focused on changing the game for girls and women through elite sport experiences, storytelling, and strategic programming.


“Basketball has provided incredible opportunities and taught me lasting life skills,”
said Kayla Alexander. “We’re so thrilled to partner with the Brampton Honey Badgers because they share our passion for creating meaningful pathways for girls and young women to grow both on and off the court. Together, we’re building a culture that celebrates female athletes as leaders, creators, and changemakers. This partnership amplifies our mission to ensure every young woman knows her voice matters and her dreams are possible.”


“We’re at a turning point in sport and culture—a moment where long-standing norms, barriers, and perceptions are being actively challenged and redefined, especially around who gets to participate, lead, and benefit from the game,”
said Kelly Gianopoulos. “We’re excited to partner long-term with the Brampton Honey Badgers, an organization that shares our values and recognizes the role of sport in shaping culture and opportunity. We’re not just developing athletes—we’re investing in the next generation of Canadian innovators, leaders, and disruptors.”


The Magic of Basketball’s partnership with the Brampton Honey Badgers builds on a strong foundation of national and global partners, including Victory Creative Group (Founding Partner), Wasserman’s The Collective, Toronto Star, and ICON. These organizations are committed to investing in girls’ sports and recognize the powerful impact The Magic of Basketball will have in shaping the next generation of Canadian female leaders.


Through immersive experiences, leadership development, and sport-forward storytelling, the partnership aims to reverse the alarming statistic that nearly
50% of Canadian girls drop out of sport by age 16, as reported in the 2024 Rally Report by Canadian Women & Sport.


From the court to the community, this collaboration will deliver high-impact programming and lasting opportunities for the next generation of female athletes, leaders, and changemakers.



###



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.


About The Magic of Basketball™
The Magic of Basketball™ is a sports and leadership organization co-founded by WNBA veteran and Canadian Olympian Kayla Alexander and sports business leader Kelly Gianopoulos. Inspired by Alexander’s bestselling children’s book, the brand offers immersive basketball experiences, leadership development, and culturally relevant programming that empowers girls and women to harness their potential as leaders of the future – from the courts to the boardrooms. For more information, visit magicofbasketball.com



Media Contact:

Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist

Brampton Honey Badgers

eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca