Winnipeg Sea Bears

Last updated
Winnipeg Sea Bears
Basketball current event.svg 2025 CEBL season
Winnipeg Sea Bears logo.png
Leagues CEBL
Founded2022
HistoryWinnipeg Sea Bears
(2022–present)
Arena Canada Life Centre [1]
Capacity15,321
Location Winnipeg, Manitoba
Team coloursBlack, teal, white
   
PresidentJason Smith
Head coach Mike Raimbault [2]
Ownership David Asper
Championships0
Conference titles0
Retired numbers1 (33)
Website seabears.ca

The Winnipeg Sea Bears are a Canadian professional basketball team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). They play their home games at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg.

Contents

History

On November 9, 2022, the Canadian Elite Basketball League announced that its 10th franchise would be in Winnipeg, Manitoba. [3] [4]

On November 30, 2022, the Winnipeg franchise officially unveiled their branding, announcing their name and logo as the Winnipeg Sea Bears. It was announced they would be playing at the Canada Life Centre. [5] [6]

On December 14, 2022, the Sea Bears announced that Mike Taylor was hired as the team’s inaugural head coach. [7] [8]

On May 27, 2023, the Sea Bears played their inaugural game in front of 7,303 fans, [9] shattering the previous league attendance record by nearly 3,000. They won the game 90–85 over the Vancouver Bandits. The Sea Bears finished their inaugural season with a 12–8 record for second in the Western Conference and a home playoff game against the Edmonton Stingers. Winnipeg set another attendance record for their first playoff game with 10,580 spectators. [10]

Prior to the 2024 season the CEBL announced that Winnipeg would host the 2025 CEBL Championship Weekend. [11] The Sea Bears' second season started May 22, 2024 with a loss to the Saskatchewan Rattlers, played in the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon. [12] They finished the season with a 9–11 record, qualifying for the playoffs. The Sea Bears would be eliminated in the play-in round by the Calgary Surge by a score of 84–82.

The Sea Bears retired their first jersey on May 16, 2025 during their opening night of the 2025 season. The jersey that was retired was #33, Chad Posthumus, to remember and honour his legacy on and off the court after he died. [13]

Players

Current roster

Source: [3]

Note: Flags indicate national team eligibility at FIBA-sanctioned events. Players may hold other non-FIBA nationalities not displayed.

Winnipeg Sea Bears roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.No.Nat.NameHt.Wt.Age
G 1 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kraus, Mason 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)250 lb (110 kg)23 – (2002-03-22)22 March 2002
G 3 Flag of the United States.svg Roberts, Terry 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)180 lb (82 kg)25 – (2000-08-05)5 August 2000
F 5 Flag of the United States.svg Jones, Tevian 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)200 lb (91 kg)25 – (2000-06-29)29 June 2000
G 6 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Campbell, Alex 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)209 lb (95 kg)32 – (1993-01-22)22 January 1993
G 7 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Akot, Emmanuel 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)215 lb (98 kg)26 – (1999-03-17)17 March 1999
G 8 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg James, Geoffrey 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)200 lb (91 kg)26 – (1999-08-31)31 August 1999
PF 10 Flag of the United States.svg Williams, Jaylin 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)245 lb (111 kg)25 – (2000-07-26)26 July 2000
C 11 Flag of England.svg Shittu, Simi 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)240 lb (110 kg)25 – (1999-11-07)7 November 1999
F 13 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bilamu, Nathan 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)25 – (2000-08-07)7 August 2000
C 14 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Filewich, Kyler 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)250 lb (110 kg)24 – (2001-07-25)25 July 2001
C 21 Flag of the United States.svg Young, Solomon 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)242 lb (110 kg)27 – (1998-04-22)22 April 1998
G 24 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Bourcier, Mason 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)200 lb (91 kg)26 – (1999-08-31)31 August 1999
G 55 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Maranan, Shawn 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)155 lb (70 kg)25 – (2000-05-27)27 May 2000
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Raimbault
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Ryan Thomson
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Braeden Floyd
  • Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tevonn Walker
  • Flag of the United States.svg Nick Elam

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (I) Inactive
  • (U) Current U Sports Athlete
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Updated: May 28, 2025

Honours

Retired Jerseys

DatePlayerJersey No.
May 16, 2025 [14] Chad Posthumus #33

CEBL Most Valuable Player

SeasonPlayer
2023 Teddy Allen

U Sports Player of the year

SeasonPlayerUniversity Team
2023 Simon Hildebrandt University of Manitoba Bisons

Developmental Player of the Year

SeasonPlayerUniversity Team
2024 Simon Hildebrandt University of Manitoba Bisons

CEBL Coach of the year

SeasonCoachWL
2023 Mike Taylor 128

CEBL Sixth Man of the Year

SeasonPlayer
2023 Jelani Watson–Gayle

All CEBL Teams

CEBL First team All Stars

SeasonPlayerPosition
2023 Teddy Allen Guard
2024 Justin Wright-Foreman

CEBL Second Team All Stars

SeasonPlayerPosition
2023 E.J. Anosike Forward
2024 Teddy Allen [a] Guard
2025 Simi Shittu Forward

CEBL BUSINESS AWARD WINNERS:

Franchise of the year

SeasonTeam
2023 Winnipeg Sea Bears

Team Executive of the year

SeasonNamePosition
2023 Jason SmithPresident
2024

CEBL Mascot of the year award

SeasonMascot
2023 Churchill the Sea Bear
2024

Season-by-season record

LeagueSeasonCoachRegular seasonPost season
WonLostWin %FinishWonLostWin %Result
CEBL
2023 Mike Taylor 128.6002nd West01.000Lost play-in round
2024 911.4504th West01.000Lost play-in round
2025 1113.4584th West01.000Lost Semifinal
Totals3232.50003.000

Notes

  1. Allen Played for the Sea Bears until June 17, 2024 when he was released. He later signed with the Saskatchewan Rattlers and the CEBL recognized him as a Second Team All Star selection from both Winnipeg and Saskatchewan.

References

  1. "Winnipeg Sea Bears the latest team in evolving Canadian Elite Basketball League". Sportsnet. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  2. "Sea Bears Name Mike Raimbault General Manager and Head Coach". www.seabears.ca. August 28, 2025. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Canadian Elite Basketball League Expanding to Winnipeg". CEBL website. Retrieved November 9, 2022.
  4. "Winnipeg Sea Bears the latest team in growing CEBL". tsn.ca. 30 November 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  5. Gibsom, Shane (November 30, 2022). "Winnipeg Sea Bears unveiled as city's entry into Canadian Elite Basketball League". globalnews.ca. Global News. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  6. "Winnipeg Sea Bears become 10th Canadian Elite Basketball League franchise". cbc.ca. CBC News. November 30, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  7. Prentice, Amy-Ellen (December 14, 2022). "Winnipeg's new basketball team names first head coach". global news.ca. Global News. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  8. "BREAKING: Winnipeg Sea Bears Name First Head Coach". oursportscentral.com. OSC. December 14, 2022. Retrieved December 14, 2022.
  9. "All Eyes on CEBL as 2023 Season Openers see Record Attendance". www.cebl.ca. 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-07-06.
  10. "CEBL Game Box Score". CEBL. 2023-08-04. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  11. "Winnipeg to Host 2025 CEBL Championship Weekend". 2024-04-09.
  12. "CEBL Game Box Score". CEBL. 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2024-07-16.
  13. "Sea Bears Retire Chad Posthumus' No. 33 on Opening Night". www.cebl.ca. 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
  14. "Sea Bears Retire Chad Posthumus' No. 33 on Opening Night". www.cebl.ca. 2025-05-09. Retrieved 2025-05-28.