VICTORIA - University of Victoria men's basketball player
Geoffrey James was selected in the first round of the 2025 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) Draft, April 10, which was unveiled live on CEBL+ via the '2025 CEBL Draft Reveal Show. Each CEBL club made three selections total (one in each round) of either returning or graduating Canadian post-secondary players; the full replay of the show can be watched on
CEBL+ Video-on-Demand as of April 12.
James was one of three Canada West student-athletes to be selected in the first round, going fifth overall to the Winnipeg Sea Bears. Fresh off a national title run with the University of Victoria, James appeared in 26 games during the 2024–25 season, leading the Vikes in minutes (24.5 per game) and establishing himself as the most consistent threat from deep. Shooting a blistering 42% from beyond the arc in conference play (52-for-123) James averaged 10.1 points per game—third-highest on a team stacked with scoring options.
No stranger to the CEBL, James spent the 2023-24 season on a U SPORTS contract playing for his hometown Edmonton Stingers where he averaged 16.6 min and 7.5 ppg.
"Geoffrey joins us after a national championship season with the University of Victoria. He's a proven CEBL player, having been a rotational piece for the Edmonton Stingers," said Sea Bears Head Coach and General Manager Mike Taylor. "We're really looking forward to having him in a Sea Bears uniform this summer."
Originally from Edmonton, Alta., James took a winding road to UVic, with stops at SAIT and the University of Alberta before landing on Vancouver Island. Despite battling some major injuries throughout his career, James proved himself as one of the nations top guards this season getting named Player of the Game in UVic's U SPORTS Final Four semifinal upset over the top-seeded University of Ottawa on March 14. He also led the Vikes with 17 points in their national championship win over the University of Calgary.
"Being drafted by the Sea Bears is an honour and a great privilege," said James. "Winnipeg has a phenomenal fan base and coaching staff, and I look forward to bringing my defensive talents in an effort to bring home a championship."
For more information on each player selected in the 2025 CEBL Draft, please visit
cebl.ca/cebl-draft-2025-results.
The seventh season of the CEBL tips off May 11 when the Calgary Surge travel to Edmonton to take on the Stingers in the Battle of Alberta. A total of
120 regular season games fill the 2025 campaign, leading to playoffs that begin August 14.
Championship Weekend, which features the league's top four teams during the regular season vying for the league title, will be held at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, August 22-24.
Season tickets and flex packs are now available league wide with priority seating access and preferred pricing. Ticket information for all CEBL games, including single-game tickets, can be found by visiting
cebl.ca/tickets and
cebl.ca/cw25/tickets.
