Canadian forward Ryan Wright re-signs with BlackJacks
Posted Apr 22, 2022 07:01:51 PM.
The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced on April 22 that Canadian forward Ryan Wright has re-signed with the club for the 2022 CEBL season.
A six-foot-nine forward from Toronto, Wright has played in 17 different countries over his 12-year career, including a total of 16 games in the CEBL with the Ottawa BlackJacks in 2021 and the Niagara River Lions in 2019.
With the BlackJacks, Wright averaged 5.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 14 games. He led the CEBL in field goal percentage (.717), hitting 33 of his 46 shots from the field. He recorded season highs of 12 points and six rebounds July 26 against Saskatchewan.
“I am excited to return to the Ottawa BlackJacks and play once again in our nation’s capital,” said Wright in a release. “I can't wait to reconnect with the organization, the fans and the city of Ottawa. I look forward to building on our playoff appearance from last season and working towards our goal of bringing a CEBL championship to the city of Ottawa.”
After spending his summer in the nation’s capital, Wright played 17 games with two different teams, including Trepca in Kosovo and Universitet-Yugra Surgut in Russia. As a member of Trepca, he recorded a double-double with season highs of 17 points and 11 rebounds on January 16 against Prizrni-16. He is currently completing the 2021-22 campaign with Interclube in Angola.
During his first professional season in 2010-11, the Toronto native averaged 16.8 points, 9.3 rebounds and 32.3 minutes in 24 games for Orman Genc in Turkey, where he recorded 10 double-doubles, scored 25 or more points three times and grabbed 14 or more rebounds five times.
Wright played two seasons for UCLA before transferring to the University of Oklahoma. In 2009-10, as a senior with the Sooners, he averaged 4.4 points and 2.2 rebounds in 30 games.
“We're happy to bring Ryan back for a second season,” said Jevohn Shepherd, the general manager and vice-president of basketball operations with the BlackJacks. “His ability to rebound and to finish at the rim make him a threat in the paint.”
