HAMILTON, ON - Atlantic University Sport’s reigning MVP, Keevan Veinot, of Dalhousie University was the First Round selection of the Hamilton Honey Badgers in the 2021 CEBL U SPORTS Draft. Hamilton also selected Forward Thomas Kennedy of the University of Windsor, and Guard Mychael Paulo of McMaster University in the second and third rounds, respectively. The draft was held by conference call with the seven member teams of the Canadian Elite Basketball League, and the league office announced the picks publicly Wednesday.

Veinot, a 6-foot-4 guard from Port Williams, Nova Scotia, is the first ever Dalhousie University player to be awarded the AUS Men’s Basketball MVP. The 2020 U SPORTS silver medalist led his team in scoring average (15.6), minutes played (30.3), rebounding (5.2), assists (5.5) and steals (2.3). 

“Keevan is extremely talented, deceptively athletic with a very good feel for the game”, said Hamilton General Manager Jermaine Anderson. “If Keevan continues to work, he has the ability to become a Euroleague level point guard, and will have a chance to represent our country. Most importantly, he’s a respectful young man that wants to develop in all facets of life. We want to thank Keevan’s family and Coach Plato for entrusting the Honey Badgers organization”. 

Hamilton selected Thomas Kennedy, a third-year, 6-foot-9 forward out of the University of Windsor. This will be Kennedy’s second stint with the Honey Badgers as he was a U SPORTS draft pick during the inaugural 2019 season. Kennedy finished the 2019-20 OUA season as a Third Team All-Star, averaging a double-double in points (18.5) and rebounds (11.7). He led the OUA in rebounds per game and was third in blocks per game (1.3). 

“We’re excited to have Thomas Kennedy back as a U SPORTS draft pick again this season. Thomas is a skilled forward with a very good understanding of the game,” pointed out Anderson. “He has a bright future and has all the tools to become a future pro. We’re definitely looking forward to working with him again and want to thank Thomas’ family and Coach Cheng for all their support”.

Hamilton selected Mychael Paulo, a 6-foot-4 guard with McMaster University in the third and final round of the U SPORTS Draft. Paulo most recently played for Montana State University where he averaged 6.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1 steal and 25.3 minutes in 31 games. Prior to playing in Montana, Paulo spent two seasons at Williston State where he averaged 15.4 points and 3.4 rebounds per game as a rookie. 

“Mychael is a NCAA Division 1 transfer with a lot to prove next season. He is constantly working on his game, and he will be a pleasant surprise to the U SPORT basketball community”, said Anderson. “Mychael will get an opportunity to practice and compete against high-level pros on a daily basis, and we’re excited to assist with his development. A special thank you to Coach Tatham and McMaster University for all their support”. 

All total, there were 21 U SPORTS players from 17 universities across Canada selected in the draft. With seven teams across four provinces, the CEBL is the “Official First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball”, adhering to official FIBA rules and regulations. 

The Honey Badgers 2021 regular season is scheduled to tip off June 5, when they host the Ottawa BlackJacks at the FirstOntario Centre. The team is coming off a 4-4 record and third place finish in the 2020 CEBL Summer Series, which marked the first professional sports league in Canada to return to play after Covid-19 halted sports in March of 2020. More than 1.2 million viewers across Canada watched games live on CBC, and games were carried to more than 130 million viewers around the world. 

More information about the Honey Badgers can be found at www.honeybadgers.ca, on Instagram at @HoneyBadgers.CEBL, on Twitter at @HM_HoneyBadgers, and on Facebook. 

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Media Contact

Maria Suriani

Director Operations and Community Engagement

msuriani@honeybadgers.ca