The Brampton Honey Badgers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Saturday they have signed NBA experienced guard M.J. Walker. The six-foot-five scorer from Riverdale, Georgia most recently appeared in nine games with the Vancouver Bandits averaging 11.2 points and 25.2 minutes per game. Walker will join the Honey Badgers on Monday night when the team travels back to the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre in Scarborough.

Walker brings a wealth of experience to Brampton ahead of the CEBL playoffs that tipoff next week, including 67 games with the Westchester Knicks, NBA G League affiliate of the New York Knicks. This past season, the American guard averaged 15.0 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 28 games. Walker’s second season in the NBA G League was highlighted by scoring 20+ on eight occasions, including a career-high 30-point performance against Stockton on March 14.

“M.J. will give us a much-needed boost of scoring as we prepare for the playoffs next week” said Jermaine Anderson, general manager and vice-president of basketball operations. “His ability to do damage from beyond the arc gives us a well-rounded  offensive game plan heading into the meaningful games ahead.”

Walker signed a 10-day hardship contract on December 30 with the Phoenix Suns, making his NBA debut the following day against the Boston Celtics. He becomes the third player in franchise history to join the team having prior NBA regular-season experience. Briante Weber was a member of the Honey Badgers in 2020, following a combined 47 NBA games with Houston, Memphis, Golden State, Charlotte, and Miami, and 2021 guard Trevon Duval appeared in two games with the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2018-19 season. 

The Florida State graduate spent the entirety of his four-year collegiate career in Tallahassee under the leadership of legendary coach Leonard Hamilton. Walker averaged 8.9 points and 2.7 rebounds in 119 games as a Seminole. He became the 49th player in school history to score 1,000 career points. 

Walker joins the Honey Badgers through a commissioners exemption.

Brampton currently awaits for the CEBL standings to determine their opponent in the CEBL Eastern Conference play-in game scheduled for Friday, August 4. The Honey Badgers hold a 8-10 record with two games remaining, including tonight when the Niagara River Lions visit the CAA Centre for a 7:30 p.m. tipoff.

About the Brampton Honey Badgers

One of the original franchises of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Brampton Honey Badgers are the defending league champions. Having recently relocated the team to Brampton from Hamilton, the team now proudly calls 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 www.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 71 percent of its 2022 rosters being Canadian. TSN, Canada's sports leader, is the official broadcast partner of the league. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. Nine players have moved from the CEBL into the NBA following a CEBL season, and 28 CEBL players attended NBA G League training camps during October. The CEBL season runs from May through August. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.

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Media Contact:
Kyle Warrener

Brampton Honey Badgers

kwarrener@honeybadgers.ca

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