CALGARY SURGE WELCOME BACK CANADIAN FORWARD DEON EJIM, STRENGTHENING CORE FOR 2026 SEASON

April 29 — The Calgary Surge of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced today the signing and return of Canadian forward Deon Ejim for the upcoming 2026 season.

Ejim returns to Calgary after spending the previous CEBL season with the Saskatchewan Rattlers (now Saskatoon Mamba), where he appeared in 15 games, shooting at a consistent rate from the field and beyond the arc. His return to the Surge sets him up to bring a physical presence alongside his capability to shoot from anywhere on the court.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Deon back to Calgary,” said General Manager Shane James. “He understands what it means to be part of this organization—both on and off the court. His physicality, shooting ability, and commitment to the community make him a valuable piece as we push toward another championship run.”

Since the conclusion of the 2025 CEBL season, the Toronto native has continued his international career with Kobrat in Finland, where he is averaging 26.2 minutes, 8.5 points, and 6.1 rebounds a game–establishing himself as a trustworthy and consistent starter with the club. Ejim was drafted 18th overall in the 2023 CEBL draft and played a significant role in helping the team make the CEBL Championship Finals in their first season in Calgary. Averaging 4.0 points

and 3.0 rebounds per game and starting five of his 18 games played, solidified him as a trustworthy and strong player at the professional level.

During his time in Calgary, Ejim took part in countless community events and showed his passion to support and motivate the younger generation.

“I’m excited to join the Surge family again!” said Ejim, “We had an amazing run that first year… but the only thing left to do is to finish what we started! Our fans deserve it! Surgin’ N Purgin.’”

Prior to his professional career, Ejim spent his five years of eligibility with the Illinois-Chicago Flames, Lewis University Flyers, and St. Francis Xavier University X-Men, where he developed his skills and gained valuable experience. In his final two years with St. Francis Xavier University, Ejim averaged 13.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game–helping lead the X-Men to a Nationals appearance and a silver medal in 2022-23, while a year later reaching the AUS Championship final and being awarded silver in 2023-24.

The Calgary Surge tip off their 2026 CEBL season this spring. Additional roster announcements and schedule details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Single-game tickets for the Calgary Surge’s “OVERDRIVE” season are now available to the general public. Visit calgarysurge.ca/single-game-tickets for more details.

About REAL Entertainment & Culture Inc. & the Calgary Surge

REAL Entertainment & Culture Inc. (REC) is a professional sports and live entertainment company co-founded by Jason Ribeiro that operates the Calgary Surge Professional Basketball Club and REAL Studios.

The Calgary Surge tipped off their inaugural season at WinSport Event Centre in May 2023, after originating as the Guelph Nighthawks, one of the founding members of the CanadianElite Basketball League (CEBL). The Surge are active members of the community and have participated in a few hundred events (and counting) around the city that connect the team with diverse communities through sport, entertainment, and arts and culture. Over three seasons, the Surge have made three straight CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023 and 2025, hold the league’s single-game attendance record, and have sent over 6500 deserving kids and families to their games for free. For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca.

About the 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:

Karina Castellanos Feijoó

Manager, Projects & Administration

Calgary Surge

647-916-3594; [email protected]