CALGARY SURGE SIGN DYNAMIC GUARD JAMEER NELSON JR.
APRIL 21 — The Calgary Surge of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Tuesday that they have signed Abu Kigab, a 6-foot-7 forward from St. Catharines, Ontario, for the 2025 season.
Kigab, a dynamic and experienced two-way player, brings a unique blend of scoring, defense, and leadership to Calgary. The former Canadian National Team standout has spent the last three seasons competing professionally in Canada, Slovakia, and Germany, averaging 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game across all competitions.
Most recently, Kigab signed with PS Karlsruhe Lions of Germany’s ProA league after a stint with MLP Academics Heidelberg in the Basketball Bundesliga, where he averaged 8.6 points per game over 12 appearances. In 2023, he played for Spišskí Rytieri in the Slovak Basketball League, leading the team in scoring with 19.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Kigab also has CEBL experience with both the Ottawa BlackJacks and Niagara River Lions.
Kigab began his NCAA career at Oregon before transferring to Boise State, where he became a cornerstone of the Broncos’ program. In 2021–22, he was named Mountain West Championship MVP, helping Boise State claim the conference title while averaging 14.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.
A dual citizen of Canada and Sudan, Kigab was born in Khartoum and moved to Canada at age nine. He gained international attention representing Canada at the FIBA U19 World Cup in 2017, where he averaged 14.7 points and 10.6 rebounds, helping the team win its first-ever gold medal and earning a spot on the All-Star Five.
“Abu is a high-character player with international experience and a winner’s mentality,” said Surge General Manager Shane James. “He can guard multiple positions, create offense, and bring toughness to every possession. He’s exactly the kind of player we want wearing a Surge jersey.”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to the CEBL and represent Calgary this season,” said Kigab. “I’m ready to compete, lead, and bring my full game to the city. Let’s get to work.”
The Calgary Surge will continue to announce player signings leading up to their highly anticipated third season.
Tickets for the Calgary Surge’s ‘TRILOGY’ season are now available to the general public. This season will include marquee games in Red Deer (June 19 against the Edmonton Stingers) and at the Scotiabank Saddledome (Aug 10 against the defending Champion Niagara River Lions). Visit calgarysurge.ca for more details.
About the Calgary Surge
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 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). From day one, the Surge have been committed to being the Home Team for Calgary and a space where everyone is welcome.
The Calgary 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 two seasons, the Surge have made back-to-back CEBL Championship Weekend appearances, were crowned Western Conference Champions in 2023, hold the league’s single-game attendance record, and have sent over 4000 deserving kids and families to their games for free. Fans can expect even more excitement for 2025! For more information, visit www.calgarysurge.ca.
About the Canadian Elite Basketball League
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 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.
Media Contact:
Jennifer Elias
VP, Brand & Community
Calgary Surge
403-991-2584 |
[email protected]