MICHAEL OKAFOR

POSITION: Guard

HEIGHT: 6-5 (195 cm)

WEIGHT: 200 lbs (91.0 kg)

BIRTHDATE: April 20, 1999 (Toronto, ON)

HIGH SCHOOL: Wasatch Academy (Mount Pleasant, UT)

UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE: Lakehead University (2023)

HOW ACQUIRED: Signed as free agent June 27, 2024

YEARS PRO: 2


BIO

PROFESSIONAL CAREER 

Entered season averaging 7.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists, and 16.8 minutes in 53 games playing professionally in Africa, Kazakhstan, and in the CEBL.


2024 CEBL Season (As of July 30):
Averaging 7.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 18.1 minutes in nine games with the Brampton Honey Badgers … Scored a CEBL career-high 16 points with 6 rebounds vs. Ottawa on July 30 … Had season-highs of 12 points and eight rebounds, including six offensive rebounds vs. Vancouver on July 25 … Scored nine points in 19 minutes off the bench to go with six rebounds and two blocks vs. Niagara on July 17 … Had a season-best 10 points on a perfect 6-for-6 shooting from the field July 3 vs. Calgary … Scored six points in Honey Badgers debut June 28 at Montreal … Signed with Honey Badgers on June 27.

2023-24:
Averaged 14.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 20.1 minutes in 16 games with Barsy Atyrau in Kazakhstan … Scored a season-best 28 points while shooting 11-for-20 from the field and grabbing 12 rebounds April 5 against Caspiy Aktau … Had 17 points and 10 rebounds March 13 vs. Astana, recording his first of two double-doubles on the campaign.


2023:
Averaged 11.0 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 18.0 minutes in three games with ABC in Africa.


2023 CEBL Season:
Averaged 2.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 13.8 minutes in 18 games with the Winnipeg Sea Bears … Scored eight points on 3-for-4 shooting in the season opener vs. Vancouver on May 27.


2022 CEBL Season:
Averaged 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 16.8 minutes in 16 games with the Hamilton Honey Badgers … Won the CEBL Championship … Had 12 points and secured four rebounds vs. Saskatchewan on July 12 … Grabbed a season-high eight rebounds June 4 at Scarborough … Made his first professional start June 2 vs. Guelph, playing 32 minutes and scoring nine points.



UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE CAREER 

Averaged 10.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.3 steals, and 21.9 minutes in 126 games in a five-year collegiate career at Harcum Community College, Manhattan College, and Lakehead University.


2022-23:
Averaged 15.4 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 27.8 minutes in 25 games with Lakehead University … Named an OUA Second Team All-Star. … Ranked 14th in overall OUA scoring … Scored 20+ in seven games … Recorded double-figures in scoring in all but five contests …  Tallied 27 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and two steals February 4 vs Toronto Metropolitan University … Dropped 20 points in the season opener against Guelph on November 4.


2021-22:
Transferred to Lakehead University … Averaged 18.1 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.6 steals, and 28.7 minutes in 15 games … Named OUA West Second-Team All-Star… Named Male Athlete of the Year and Most Valuable Player by Lakehead University … Scored 20 or more points in seven games … Ranked 10th overall in OUA scoring … Registered six double-doubles in points and rebounds … Tallied five steals in three straight games … Grabbed a season-high 14 rebounds while scoring 15 points and nabbed three steals November 26 vs. Western.


2019-20:
Transferred to Manhattan College … Averaged 1.6 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 7.6 minutes in 23 games … Secured three steals in six minutes of action against Quinnipiac on February 9.


2018-19:
Averaged 11.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals, and 23.0 minutes in 32 games with Harcum Community College … Played over 700 minutes and 600 points in his career at Harcum College … Finished inside the top 15 all-time in school history for career steals and rebounds.


2017-18:
Averaged 9.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 23.5 minutes in 31 games with Harcum Community College … Named third-team NJAA All-Academic.




By CEBL February 20, 2026
League’s first-ever President takes on expanded leadership role as Canada’s professional basketball league enters its next phase of growth The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) today announced that Ty Mazereeuw has been promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer, leading the league into its next phase of growth. Mazereeuw’s appointment as CEO was approved by the league’s Board of Directors. He was named the league’s first-ever President on May 1, 2025. Over the past year, the CEBL has continued to build momentum through innovative commercial and digital initiatives, and has welcomed new private ownership groups. “The league’s growth and momentum are a testament to the dedication and talent of our owners, players, partners, and staff across the country,” said Mazereeuw. “I’m excited to build on this foundation as we continue to strengthen the league’s place in the sports landscape and deliver fast-paced, high-level basketball for fans.” Mazereeuw's more than 20 years of experience in the sports and entertainment industry has focused on innovation and revenue growth, including previous senior roles with the Canadian Football League (CFL), IMG, and Molson Sports and Entertainment. Mazereeuw assumes the league’s top executive role following the departure of the league’s co-founder and former Commissioner, Mike Morreale, in October 2025. As CEO, Mazereeuw will oversee all league functions and work closely with the league’s basketball operations leadership team on day-to-day basketball matters. The Brampton Honey Badgers will begin their season with two home games on Friday, May 15 and Sunday, May 17 versus the Ottawa BlackJacks and Calgary Surge, respectively. Click here to get your Honey Badgers tickets today, starting at only $20 per game. ### 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, with 10 member clubs across six provinces. Blending global innovation with local connection, the league is redefining how the game is played and experienced while rooting its teams deeply in communities coast to coast. With a fan base of 4.1 million Canadians – up 57 per cent since 2022 – the CEBL has cultivated Canada’s youngest basketball audience, with more than half of its fans aged 34 or younger. Its rapid growth reflects its ability to connect authentically with a new generation of basketball fans while expanding the sport’s cultural footprint nationwide. In 2025, the CEBL featured 17 players with NBA experience, and nearly 70 per cent of its athletes were Canadian – the highest proportion of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. To date, nearly 40 players have signed NBA contracts following CEBL seasons, which run from May through August. Visit CEBL.ca or follow @cebleague on social media. Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca
By Elias Eldridge February 17, 2026
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that they have signed Brampton’s own Danilo Djuricic for the 2026 season. Djuricic has played the past four seasons with the Scarborough Shooting Stars, including winning a championship with the organization in 2023. He also played two seasons with Basket Brno in Czechia, making his professional debut immediately after graduating from Harvard in Economics. “Coming home to play the sport I love is a dream come true,” said Djuricic. “I am grateful to the Shooting Stars organization for four unforgettable seasons, but looking forward to this next step in my career. Putting on a Brampton jersey and playing in front of my family and friends is going to be an amazing feeling.” Since 2021, Djuricic has played 119 games as a professional, averaging 4.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 13.4 minutes. Last season with the Shooting Stars, he scored in double-figures on three occasions including a 17-point outburst versus the Ottawa BlackJacks on May 27. Djuricic played three seasons for the Harvard Crimson, with his senior season being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a junior, he played in all 29 games, with two as a starter and recorded a season-high 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting versus Yale. As a freshman, he put up back-to-back 10+ point outings en route to an Ivy League Rookie of the Week award. He attended high school at St. Michael’s College School in Toronto, where he had a highly acclaimed career. He helped lead the school to two OFSAA AAAA championships (2015 & 2017), he was the team captain during his junior and senior campaigns, a three-time BioSteel All-Canadian, and named to the Toronto High School Basketball Top-50 Players of All-Time list in 2016. “Danilo is forever etched in history for helping lead our country to its first and only gold medal in Egypt, but more importantly, he is an incredible human being,” said Honey Badgers General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations Jermaine Anderson. “On the court, he embodies what it means to sacrifice for a common goal. His unselfishness, experience, and leadership will be invaluable to our team and we’re excited to welcome him to the Honey Badger family.” In June of 2023 in the midst of the Shooting Stars championship season, Djuricic was diagnosed with testicular cancer at just 24 years old. After being operated on in July of 2023, Djuricic opted to sit out a season of professional basketball and focus on recovery, ultimately returning back to action in May, 2024. Click here to read more about Danilo’s inspiring story. Djuricic is also the founder of The 40 Year Plan, an organization designed to help student-athletes and professionals think beyond short-term success and build a foundation for lifelong achievement. More about The 40 Year Plan here . “Danilo is going to be an impact player for us on the court and in the locker room,” said Honey Badgers Assistant General Manager John Ross. “We are thrilled to add a player of his caliber and character to the franchise. He is an inspiration who will be both a valuable contributor for the Honey Badgers and the Brampton community.” The Brampton Honey Badgers will begin their season with two home games on Friday, May 15 and Sunday, May 17 versus the Ottawa BlackJacks and Calgary Surge, respectively. Click here to get your Honey Badgers tickets today, starting at only $20 per game. ### 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, with 10 member clubs across six provinces. Blending global innovation with local connection, the league is redefining how the game is played and experienced while rooting its teams deeply in communities coast to coast. With a fan base of 4.1 million Canadians – up 57 per cent since 2022 – the CEBL has cultivated Canada’s youngest basketball audience, with more than half of its fans aged 34 or younger. Its rapid growth reflects its ability to connect authentically with a new generation of basketball fans while expanding the sport’s cultural footprint nationwide. In 2025, the CEBL featured 17 players with NBA experience, and nearly 70 per cent of its athletes were Canadian – the highest proportion of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. To date, nearly 40 players have signed NBA contracts following CEBL seasons, which run from May through August. Visit CEBL.ca or follow @cebleague on social media. Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca
By Elias Eldridge February 13, 2026
The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) are thrilled to announce that Alex Cerda and the Honey Badgers agree to terms to make Cerda their new head coach. Cerda will join the club with 10 years of NBA experience, including two seasons as an assistant video coordinator with the Los Angeles Clippers (2018-2020). Cerda will officially join the Honey Badgers after completing his third season with the South Bay Lakers (Los Angeles Lakers G League affiliate) where he is serving as an assistant coach. Alex’s professional journey began in 2016 as the head video coordinator and player development coach with the Indiana Mad Ants of the NBA G League. From there, he climbed his way up the coaching rankings, transitioning over to the NBA and working for the Los Angeles Clippers. In 2021, Cerda reached a new level of coaching as an assistant coach & offensive coordinator for the Texas Legends of the NBA G League before joining the South Bay Lakers in his current role. “I could not be more excited to make my head coaching debut in Brampton and the CEBL,” said Cerda. “I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to spearhead this team as they enter a new era. I am looking forward to working with Al [Whitley], Jermaine [Anderson], and John [Ross] to put together a roster we believe will embody the new culture we are building, and thrive in it as well. I can’t wait to see you all around the Peel Region and at the CAA Centre this season!” Cerda has also operated a player development training program in Dallas. Here, he spent the offseason training the likes of Canada’s own AJ Lawson (Toronto Raptors), along with Jericho Sims (Milwaukee Bucks), Shake Milton (359 NBA games played), Jared Butler (148 NBA games played), and many more. Cerda describes his coaching style as focused, detail-oriented and data-driven. Offensively, he has a very impressive resume, leading the 2022-23 Texas Legends to the G League’s number-one offensive rating (118.9), points per chance (1.066), effective field goal percentage (60.3%), and three-point percentage (41.2%). His offensive philosophy is for the Honey Badgers to create the highest percentage shot possible on every possession by playing an analytically progressive brand of basketball. On defense, Cerda wants to implement a tough, yet high-IQ style of play, pushing players to do their job one possession at a time. As a defensive coach for the 2024-25 South Bay Lakers, Cerda got the Lakers to the number-five defensive rating (105.3), number-four opponent effective field goal percentage (52.1%), and number-eight turnover percentage (18%) during the G League’s Tip-Off Tournament. “This is a very important year for Honey Badgers basketball, and I am confident that Alex is the person for this job,” said Honey Badgers CEO Al Whitley. “His ability to lead, manage and motivate, along with his rare blend of high-level NBA experience make Coach Cerda an incredible asset for our entire organization and I look forward to reuniting with him on this next chapter of his professional career. We are grateful for his commitment and trust in what we are building in Brampton!” On a personal note, Cerda attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology. While at UT Austin, Cerda was also the men’s basketball team’s manager where he got an early start in the coaching business by helping out with drills and player development workouts. "Alex is exactly the kind of coach who represents this organization's values and focus on winning championships," said Team Owner Leonard Asper. "I am so proud of the front office we have built and the people that they continue to attract to this organization. Honey Badgers and CEBL fans should be excited about the team that will be representing Honey Badgers basketball both on and off the court as we move into the upcoming season.” The Brampton Honey Badgers will begin their season with two home games on Friday, May 15 and Sunday, May 17 versus the Ottawa BlackJacks and Calgary Surge, respectively. Click here to get your Honey Badgers tickets today, starting at only $20 per game. ### 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, with 10 member clubs across six provinces. Blending global innovation with local connection, the league is redefining how the game is played and experienced while rooting its teams deeply in communities coast to coast. With a fan base of 4.1 million Canadians – up 57 per cent since 2022 – the CEBL has cultivated Canada’s youngest basketball audience, with more than half of its fans aged 34 or younger. Its rapid growth reflects its ability to connect authentically with a new generation of basketball fans while expanding the sport’s cultural footprint nationwide. In 2025, the CEBL featured 17 players with NBA experience, and nearly 70 per cent of its athletes were Canadian – the highest proportion of domestic talent in any professional sports league in the country. To date, nearly 40 players have signed NBA contracts following CEBL seasons, which run from May through August. Visit CEBL.ca or follow @cebleague on social media. Media Contact: Elias Eldridge - Account Executive & Communications Specialist Brampton Honey Badgers eeldridge@honeybadgers.ca



PROFESSIONAL STATISTICS **BEFORE 2024 CEBL SEASON

Totals

Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2023-24 Barsy Atyrau (Kazakhstan) 16 321 226 80-146 10-43 36-72 26 61 87 30 28 4 14 21
2023 ABC (Africa) 3 54 33 6-12 5-14 6-10 2 3 5 1 6 1 3 3
2023 Winnipeg Sea Bears 18 249 52 18-39 3-22 7-24 11 17 28 11 28 4 19 8
2022 Hamilton Honey Badgers 16 269 83 31-50 2-21 15-22 17 24 41 15 28 5 9 18
Totals 53 893 394 135-247 20-100 64-128 56 105 161 57 90 14 45 50

Averages

Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2023-24 Barsy Atyrau (Kazakhstan) 16 20.1 14.1 0.548 0.233 0.500 1.6 3.8 5.4 1.9 1.8 0.3 0.9 1.3
2023 ABC (Africa) 3 18.0 11.0 0.500 0.357 0.600 0.7 1.0 1.7 0.3 2.0 0.3 1.0 1.0
2023 Winnipeg Sea Bears 18 13.8 2.9 0.462 0.136 0.292 0.6 0.9 1.6 0.6 1.6 0.2 1.1 0.4
2022 Hamilton Honey Badgers 16 16.8 5.2 0.620 0.095 0.682 1.1 1.5 2.6 0.9 1.8 0.3 0.6 1.1
Totals 53 16.8 7.4 0.547 0.200 0.500 1.1 2.0 3.0 1.1 1.7 0.3 0.8 0.9

COLLEGIATE STATISTICS

Totals

Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2022-23 Lakehead University 25 695 384 112-230 31-108 67-103 29 128 157 69 59 20 35 66
2021-22 Lakehead University 15 430 271 97-172 11-65 44-57 36 81 117 35 39 12 39 26
2019-20 Manhattan College 23 175 37 13-25 2-10 5-13 12 28 40 8 26 4 10 9
2018-19 Harcum Community College 32 735 370 137-239 12-47 60-121 68 88 156 101 57 20 49 81
2017-18 Harcum Community College 31 730 303 100-182 18-59 49-74 64 83 147 59 52 17 37 52
Totals 126 2765 1365 459-848 74-289 225-368 209 408 617 272 233 73 170 234
Averages
Year Team G MIN PTS 2FGP 3FGP FT RO RD RT AS PF BS ST TO
2022-23 Lakehead University 25 27.8 15.4 0.487 0.287 0.650 1.2 5.1 6.3 2.8 2.4 0.8 1.4 2.6
2021-22 Lakehead University 15 28.7 18.1 0.564 0.169 0.772 2.4 5.4 7.8 2.3 2.6 0.8 2.6 1.7
2019-20 Manhattan College 23 7.6 1.6 0.520 0.200 0.385 0.5 1.2 1.7 0.3 1.1 0.2 0.4 0.4
2018-19 Harcum Community College 32 23.0 11.6 0.573 0.255 0.496 2.1 2.8 4.9 3.2 1.8 0.6 1.5 2.5
2017-18 Harcum Community College 31 23.5 9.8 0.552 0.305 0.662 2.1 2.7 4.7 1.9 1.7 0.5 1.2 1.7
Totals 126 21.9 10.8 0.541 0.256 0.611 1.7 3.2 4.9 2.2 1.8 0.6 1.3 1.9