麻豆传媒

YORKTON - With free agency in full swing for Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) teams, the Saskatchewan Rattlers recently announced that the club has re-signed 6-foot-ten Jaden Bediako for the 2025 season.

The NCAA D1 alumni from Brampton, Ont. returns for his second season after making his professional debut with the Rattlers in 2024 playing six games while averaging a team-best 2.0 blocks per game.

“We are absolutely thrilled to bring back Jaden this year. He is an extremely talented and high character individual that will be a central part of our line-up,” said General Manager and Vice-President of Basketball Operations, Barry Rawlyk in a club release. “In his short time in the CEBL, he proved to be one of the premiere big men in the league, and we expect he will be a dominant force this upcoming season. He is a young talent that has a tremendously high ceiling, and nobody should be surprised to see him playing in the best leagues in the world. I look forward to helping him develop his game on a daily basis.”

Bediako told Yorkton This Week returning to the Rattlers was always his first choice for 2025.

“That was the first team I played for professionally,” he said, adding he enjoyed the experience in Saskatoon.

Bediako said being a smaller community he found he was “away from the distractions” which can exist in bigger places – such as the GTA he is familiar with.

“Being in a quiet place like Saskatoon I enjoyed it. . . That to me played a role in it.”

When Bediako combined the atmosphere of Saskatoon, with a good on-court experience with Rattler coaches and teammates a return engagement was a natural.

While only spending six games with the Rattlers in 2024, Bediako said he found it to be a highly positive in terms of his basketball, adding he feels given a full training camp and season he can take a step in terms scoring and being more of a leader.

Bediako made his professional debut towards the end of the 2024 season with the Saskatchewan Rattlers averaging 10.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, and 22.4 minutes in six games. He finished the season leading the CEBL in offensive rebounds per game (4.0) and ranked second in the league in blocked shots per game (2.0). Bediako finished the CEBL season before signing with KK Mornar of Liga ABA in Montenegro where he is averaging 3.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.8 blocks, and 13.3 minutes in 19 games.

Bediako said he has always been a dedicated worker, recalling a college game where he logged 30-minutes and was totally exhausted, and realizing “that’s how you have to feel,” after a game to be successful.

That work ethic has been how Bediako said he has tried to lead – by example – but added in his return “I may speak up a bit more.”

During his five-year NCAA D1 career, Bediako has played in NCAA DI with Santa Clara University and Seton Hall University. He has a collegiate career average of 6.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.6 assists, and 20.1 minutes in 148 games.

In his final season in the NCAA with Seton Hall starting in all 37 games while averaging 8.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, and a team-high 1.6 blocks in 24.8 minutes played. As a senior, Bediako was ranked top 20 in Division 1 in offensive rebounds with 3.5 per game and ranked second in the conference for total blocks with 37. He started his collegiate career with Santa Clara playing four years averaging 5.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 18.5 minutes in 111 games played.

Certainly having a good work ethic is important in the CEBL based on the level of competition, which surprised Bediako somewhat in 2024.

“I didn’t know there was that many good players,” he said, adding the league has players who have played at some high levels over their careers.

Now it’s just a case of getting back to Saskatoon, this time for the start of the season, something Bediako said will be a plus because training camp is where players begin to “know their role” a key to being successful.

“I’m just excited to be back and playing,” he added.

The full 2025 Rattlers schedule has been released, which features a new 24-game slate. The season starts May 15, for the Rattlers hosting the Vancouver Bandits.