English Native Rowell Graham-Bell Inks Deal With Stingers

EDMONTON, AB- With six years of European professional experience, Rowell Graham-Bell is ready to make his mark in the CEBL. Hailing from London, the English native feels ready to make the jump across the pond to compete with the best basketball Canada has to offer.

"I hope both the team and the fans can appreciate what I can bring to what is, without a doubt, already a great team" said Graham-Bell, who is currently playing for the Plymouth City Patriots of the British BBL. "I'm about getting the job done by any means."

Graham-Bell competed internationally with the British U18 National Team first in 2011, where he competed in the 2011 UEFA European Under-18 Division Championship Basketball Tournament and again in 2012, where he helped Great Britain finish third overall. That year, the forward put up 8.2 points and 4.6 boards per game while grabbing a team high 2.0 steals per game. He returned to the National Team in 2013 and 2014, this time with the under-20 squad. In 2013, Great Britain finished in second place, with Graham-Bell putting up 5.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per game.

Turning professional for the 2015-16 season, Graham-Bell signed with Real Valladolid of the Spanish LEB Silver, the country's third ranked league. Across his rookie campaign, Graham-Bell managed 10.7 points per game, scoring a season high 24 against Avila BK on March 4th. Graham-Bell returned to Real Valladolid the following year, upping his regular season average to 11.9 points per game and contributing 11.3 per game in the postseason. Real Valladolid would win the LEB Silver Championship that year and would be relegated up to LEB Gold for the 2017-2018 season, where Graham-Bell would play 34 games.

Graham-Bell would spend the next two seasons with Almansa Con Afanion. First competing in the LEB Silver in 2018-19, the fourth year pro would average 12.4 points and help the club eventually move up to LEB Gold for the 2019-20 season. Despite being cut short by the COVID-19 Pandemic, Graham-Bell would suit up for 21 games that year, putting up 9.9 and 6.6 a night.

Suiting up for Basketball Lowen of the German Pro B South League in the 2020-21 season he saw considerable success, scoring 19.0 points per game in only 9 games. Included in that stretch was a 36 point performance against BBC Coburg, a mark which was good for a career high. After leaving Germany, he returned to his native England, joining the Plymouth City Patriots of the top ranked BBL. With current averages of 14.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, Graham-Bell will look to continue his professional career and aid the Stingers in pursuit of their third straight CEBL Championship.

"I'm hungry, I know everyone else is too." Graham-Bell joins a Stingers squad which is packed with CEBL veterans such as Marlon Johnson, Adika Peter-McNeilly, and Mathieu Kamba. Graham-Bell provides efficient offensive play while bringing experience and energy to the Stingers. "I can't wait to get started."

Watch Graham-Bell and the Stingers this summer starting on May 27th as the Stingers take on the Niagara River Lion at home. Tickets can be purchases through our website.

About The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL)

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.

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The Edmonton Stingers

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