OUA MVP Rhooms headlines 2026 Class of CEBL signings

TORONTO – The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) unveiled today the results of its inaugural CEBL Signing Day, with 10 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) student-athletes taking the next step in their basketball journeys.

Aaron Rhooms, the reigning OUA most valuable player and 2026 Wilson Cup champion, headlines the class as he returns to the Edmonton Stingers for a third consecutive season. The TMU Bold guard led the conference in scoring this past season, averaging 22.0 points per game.

One of the most consistent offensive threats in the country, Rhooms, recorded three 30-point performances during the season, all at home in front of the TMU faithful.

Also returning to the league is Windsor Lancers guard Yohann Sam, who will suit up for the Ottawa BlackJacks after spending the 2025 season with the Brampton Honey Badgers. Teammate Bronson Chambers has signed with Brampton for the 2026 campaign.

Two standouts from the national championship winning Carleton Ravens have also signed, with MJ Okado joining the Calgary Surge and Louth-Mohamed Coulibaly heading to the Ottawa Surge. Okado was named to the OUA third all-star team following a strong season for the Ravens.

OUA all-star Chris Malonga will play for the Montréal Alliance, while Ashton Bain from the Queen’s Gaels will begin his professional careers with the Vancouver Bandits. Bain's former teammate with the Gaels, AJ Cummings, now with the Ontario Tech Ridgebacks, will step onto the court with the Scarborough Shooting Stars.

Rounding out the OUA signing class is Ayub Nurhussien from the TMU Bold, and Nigel Hylton from the Toronto Varsity Blues who will keep things closer to home joining the Niagara River Lions.

Announced on March 26, Signing Day replaces the league’s previous draft format and marks the next evolution of the CEBL’s partnership with U SPORTS, established in 2019, and more recently the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). The new approach creates a more direct and flexible pathway for Canadian student-athletes to transition from campus to the professional stage.

Signings By Team:

Brampton: Bronson Chambers (Windsor Lancers)
Calgary: MJ Okado (Carleton Ravens)
Edmonton: Aaron Rhooms (TMU Bold)
Montreal: Chris Malonga (Nipissing Lakers)
Niagara: Ayub Nurhussien (TMU Bold), Nigel Hylton (Toronto Varsity Blues)
Ottawa: Louth-Mohamed Coulibaly (Carleton University), Yohann Sam (Windsor Lancers)
Scarborough: AJ Cummings (Ontario Tech Ridgebacks)
Vancouver: Ashton Bain (Queen’s Gaels)