The Hamilton Honey Badgers announced Friday that they have re-signed veteran guard Alex Johnson for the 2021 season. Johnson, who was on loan from the Niagara River Lions through the 2020 CEBL Summer Series, played all eight games for the Honey Badgers last season averaging 6.1 points, 1.5 assists, 1.9 rebounds and 19.3 minutes per game.

  “We’re excited to have Alex in a Honey Badgers uniform again this summer,” said Hamilton General Manager Jermaine Anderson. “His positive energy and competitive spirit is contagious, and he’s a vocal leader. Based on his performance in the FIBA 3x3 qualifying tournament and his training regiment, Alex will be able to contribute immediately. Alex has been a staple in the basketball community for more than a decade. His selfless attitude will help our team bond and gel throughout the season.”

  The 5-foot-10 guard was a key member of Team Canada in the FIBA 3x3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Graz, Steiermark, Austria during May. Canada went 2-2 in pool play, falling just shy of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.

  Johnson is entering his ninth year as a pro, having played in eight countries throughout his career. In 2013, Johnson made news as the first ever Canadian to be drafted first overall in the NBL Canada draft and was named an NBL Canada all-star that season. In 2016, Johnson was acquired by the Grand Rapids Drive of the NBA G League, where he averaged 2.1 points, 1.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 7.9 minutes in 10 games.

  The Honey Badgers open training camp Thursday at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton. Their season tips off June 26 on the road against the Edmonton Stingers in a game that will be televised nationally on CBC. Stops at Saskatoon on June 28 and Ottawa on Canada Day precede their home-opener versus the Guelph Nighthawks at FirstOntario Centre on July 3. That home-opener will also be televised on CBC.

  Hamilton is coming off a 4-4 record and third place finish in the CEBL Summer Series, which marked the first professional sports 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.

Media Contact:

Maria Suriani

Director, Operations & Community Engagement

msuriani@honeybadgers.ca