Caribbean Basketball League set to return in late 2022

Given the success of the summer E1 Caribbean Basketball League CEO of P.H.A.S.E. 1 Academy, Wayne Dawkins says the competition is set to return bigger and better with a fall competition.

“This (the summer league) was not our end goal. This was meant to be a concept where we can show local and foreign investors and sponsors the potential of professional basketball here,” Dawkins said.

The fall competition will be a six- to eight-weeks professional league that will run from October to December.

Dawkins said, for the upcoming league, they are looking to have more partners, entertainers and media involved, as they also look to have players integrate in the island’s communities.

“There is also a plan also to expand outside of Jamaica but have Jamaica remain the hub for professional basketball for the English-speaking Caribbean, so we can continue to find ways to improve the other islands as well,” he said.

Dawkins credited his team for the success of the tournament, and they look forward to continuing to change lives as one of the main aims was to help people from struggling backgrounds in the region and diaspora.

“ I think it (the competition) has opened the doors because we now have investors, sponsors and people now that have the type of resources … to create that sort of empowerment for those young people (by) giving them an opportunity to earn some money doing something they love, developing them into role models that can go back into the communities and help others. I feel like we have started that because half the teams are all local players,” Dawkins said.

He also said that some athletes have already signed professional contract deals from the summer league and he is anticipating that more athletes will be signed, come the fall season.

Nicholai Brown of Team Horizon, who was named Most Valuable Local Player of the competition, is one of the athletes hoping to benefit from an overseas professional contract soon.

“This sky’s the limit for us (local players) and this can definitely help kids coming out of college who don’t have anything else to do. We can go overseas from this league,” Brown said.

President of the Jamaica Basketball Association (JBA) Paulton Gordon also said the league was a success and can help improve basketball in Jamaica.

“We saw some of the areas that we were strong in and some of the areas that we can improve on,” he said.

As such, Gordon said the JBA is planning to use this league to improve the National Jamaica Basketball League.

“We are going to meet with our committee about the construction of that and how that can work,” he said.

Elite 1 Horizon emerged winners of the competition while Team Storm were runners-up. Elite 1 Rivers and Team Waves were third and fourth, respectively.