Samkelo Cele

Last updated

Samkelo Cele
No. 25–Cape Town Tigers
Position Guard
League BAL
Personal information
Born (1997-12-28) 28 December 1997 (age 26)
Durban, South Africa
Listed height1.94 m (6 ft 4 in)
Listed weight95 kg (209 lb)
Career information
High school Durban High School
(Durban, South Africa)
Bull City Prep Academy
(Charlotte, North Carolina)
College Northeastern Oklahoma A&M (2019–2021)
Marist (2021–2022)
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
(2022–2023)
Playing career2015–present
Career highlights and awards

Samkelo "Sam" Cele (born 28 December 1997) is a South African professional basketball player who plays for the Cape Town Tigers of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). He was an BAL All-Defensive Team selection in 2023, while playing for the Tigers.

Contents

Early life

Born in Durban, Cele received a basketball scholarship for Durban High School, one of the best schools in the city. After graduating in 2016, he moved to the United States to play for Bull City Prep in Charlotte, North Carolina. Cele also attended a basketball camp in Serbia in 2015. [1] Cele played with the KwaZulu Marlins of the South African top tier Basketball National League (BNL) in 2015, at age 17.

College career

Cele played for Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College for two years, [2] for Southern University for one year in 2020–21, and Marist College in 2021–22. With the Marist Red Foxes, Cele started in 27 games. [3]

He then finished his career with the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in the NAIA, because he was ineligible to continue in the NCAA, and was named an All-American third-team selection in 2023. [1] He averaged 20.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 52.8% from the field and 41.3% on three-pointers. [4]

Professional career

Cele signed his first professional contract with the South African team Cape Town Tigers of the Basketball Africa League (BAL). On 6 May, on the final day of the Nile Conference, Cele scored 28 points in a win over City Oilers, that clinched the Tigers' playoff spot. [1] [5] He was named to the BAL All-Defensive Team. [6] Cele averaged 13 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2.5 steals per game and shot 46.8 percent from the field in his four BAL games. [7]

National team career

Cele made his debut for the South Africa national team in February 2024 during the pre-qualifiers for AfroBasket 2025. [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "The rise of Samkelo Cele, South Africa's best NBA hope since... Steve Nash". ESPN.com. 16 May 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "Samkelo Cele - 2020-21 - MEN'S BASKETBALL". Southern University. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  3. ↑ "Samkelo Cele - Men's Basketball". Marist College Athletics. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  4. ↑ "Samkelo Cele". University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  5. ↑ "LiveStats". geniussports.com. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  6. ↑ "Diarra, Omot, Gueye, Perry Highlight 2023 BAL Awards". The BAL. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  7. ↑ Proballers. "Samkelo Cele, Basketball Player". Proballers. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  8. ↑ "South Africa to unleash their inner dog in AfroBasket pre-qualifier battle against Mozambique". FIBA.basketball. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
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