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Canadian Player Of The Year Wigginton Secures 2-Way Deal with NBA's Milwaukee Bucks

CEBL

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Jan 13, 2022

The world champion Milwaukee Bucks announced Thursday that they have signed Lindell Wigginton to a two-way contract, making the Hamilton Honey Badgers guard the first player ever to sign a standard NBA contract after playing in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). He is also the first Canadian CEBL player to sign with an NBA team after having played in the CEBL. Wigginton’s signing follows that of four other CEBL players who signed 10-day contacts with NBA clubs in recent weeks.

“Today marks an incredible day for Lindell Wigginton, the Hamilton Honey Badgers, and the CEBL as Lindell becomes the first Canadian CEBL player to sign a standard NBA contract in the form of a two-way deal with the Milwaukee Bucks,” said Mike Morreale, commissioner and chief executive officer of the CEBL. “This past season’s CEBL Canadian Player of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year, and Player of the Year finalist has been lighting up the NBA G League. This is important history for our league, and we couldn’t be prouder. This is a true reflection of the opportunities a domestic league can make in this country.”

Wigginton joins Xavier Moon of the Edmonton Stingers, who is on his second 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, Javin DeLaurier (Milwaukee) and Xavier Sneed (Memphis) of the Niagara River Lions, and Cat Barber (Atlanta) of the Guelph Nighthawks as players who were on 2021 CEBL rosters who signed 10-day contracts with NBA teams in the past month and have since returned to the NBA G League clubs.

The 6-foot-1 native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia averaged 21.5 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.1 steals and 32.8 minutes while starting all 15 Hamilton games during the 2021 CEBL season. He was named CEBL Canadian Player of the Year, CEBL Clutch Player of the Year, and was runner up for the CEBL Player of the Year award after finishing second in the league in scoring and seventh in assists. Wigginton led the CEBL with six Elam Ending game winning shots.

Wigginton, 23, has played in 17 games with the Bucks NBA G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, this season averaging 17.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 30.8 minutes per game. He has scored 20 or more points in seven games, and 30 or more points on two occasions. A 2019 graduate of Iowa State, Wigginton played two seasons with the Iowa Wolves of the NBA G League before signing with the Hamilton Honey Badgers for the 2021 CEBL season.

The Milwaukee Bucks host the Golden State Warriors this evening at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time in a nationally televised game on TNT. The Bucks host the Toronto Raptors on Saturday.

The CEBL begins its fourth season this May. A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 75 percent of its 2021 rosters being Canadian. Players bring experience from the NBA, NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season runs from May through August. Head to CEBL.ca for more information or follow the league (@cebleague) on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook, and YouTube.