The 2017–18 NBL Canada season is the seventh season of the

National Basketball League of Canada The National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada; french: Ligue nationale de basketball du Canada) is a Canadian professional men's minor league basketball organization. The NBL Canada was founded in 2011, when three existing Premier Basketb ...

(NBLC). The regular season ran November 18, 2017 to April 2, 2018.

League changes

After two years as league commissioner,

Dave Magley David John Magley (born November 24, 1959) is a retired American basketball player and coach. He is currently the president of The Basketball League after serving as commissioner of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). Prior to becomi ...

left the league to found

North American Premier Basketball The Basketball League (TBL), formerly North America Premier Basketball (NAPB), is a minor league basketball organization. The league began operating in North America in 2018 with eight teams, and expanded to over 44 teams as of 2022. The Bas ...

. He was replaced on an interim basis by

London Lightning The London Lightning is a Canadian professional basketball team based in London, Ontario, Canada, with home games at the Budweiser Gardens. The team is a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC) that began play for the 201 ...

owner and league president

Vito Frijia Vito Frijia is an Italian-Canadian businessman and construction engineer. He is currently the owner of the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). At the league's Board of Governors' meeting in May 2015, he was unanimo ...

. After years of league ownership, the

Moncton Miracles The Moncton Miracles were a Canadian professional basketball team in Moncton, New Brunswick. Established in 2011, they were a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL). The Miracles played their home games at the Moncton C ...

were folded to make way for an expansion team under new ownership called the Moncton Magic. The league also awarded expansion franchises in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and

Sudbury, Ontario Sudbury, officially the City of Greater Sudbury is the largest city in Northern Ontario by population, with a population of 166,004 at the 2021 Canadian Census. By land area, it is the largest in Ontario and the fifth largest in Canada. It is a ...

. However, the Sudbury ownership group delayed their launch in the league until 2019. The

Orangeville A's The Orangeville A's were a Canadian professional basketball franchise based in Orangeville, Ontario. Founded in 2012 in Brampton, the A's were a member of the National Basketball League of Canada, where they began play for the season. History ...

folded in the Central Division, leaving the league with six teams in the Atlantic region and four in the Central. As a result, the new

St. John's Edge The St. John's Edge are an inactive Canadian professional basketball team based in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, and compete in the National Basketball League of Canada. From 2017 to 2020, they played home games at Mile One Centre. The ...

were scheduled to play in the Central Division.

Offseason coaching changes

* The

Cape Breton Highlanders , colors = Facing colour yellow , colors_label = Colours , march = Quick – "Highland Laddie" , mascot = , battles = First World ...

hired longtime NBLC head coach

Rob Spon Robert Spon is an American professional basketball coach, most recently serving as the head coach for the Cape Breton Highlanders of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada). He has previously led the Rochester RazorSharks, the Halif ...

away from the Saint John Riptide, replacing their fired inaugural head coach Dean Murray and the interim Ben Resner. *The

Island Storm The Island Storm is an inactive Canadian professional basketball team based in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The team is a charter member of the National Basketball League of Canada that began play in the 2011–12 season. The Storm plays ...

hired Tim Kendrick to replace longtime Storm head coach, Joe Salerno. *The

hired Keith Vassell, former

Niagara College The Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology (frequently shortened to Niagara College and branded as Niagara College Canada) is a public List of Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology, College of Applied Arts and Technology with ...

head coach and the interim head coach of the Niagara River Lions the previous season. During the 2017 playoffs, then-Lightning head coach

Kyle Julius Kyle Julius (born June 20, 1979) is a Canadian former professional basketball player and coach, He currently serves as General Manager and head coach for the Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) for the Taiwanese team ...

notified ownership he would not return for the following season. *The Moncton Magic hired Joe Salerno as its inaugural head coach. Salerno had coached the previous season for the Island Storm. *The

Niagara River Lions The Niagara River Lions are a Canadian professional basketball team based in St. Catharines, Ontario, that competes in the Canadian Elite Basketball League. From 2015 to 2018, they were members of the National Basketball League of Canada. The Riv ...

hired Joe Raso as its permanent head coach after Grâce Lokole stepped down during the previous season and Keith Vassell coached the rest of the season. *The

Saint John Riptide The Saint John Riptide were a Canadian professional basketball team based in Saint John, New Brunswick, that had home games at Harbour Station. They were a member of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada) in the Atlantic Division. ...

hired Nelson Terroba to replace Rob Spon. *The

hired Jeff Dunlap as its inaugural head coach.

Midseason coaching changes

*The KW Titans released Serge Langis on 25 February 2018 after a 5–22 record, and replaced him with former Titans' player Cavell Johnson.

Regular season

Standings as of 2 April 2018: Notes *z – Clinched home court advantage for the entire playoffs *c – Clinched home court advantage for the division playoffs *x – Clinched playoff spot

Attendance

''As of games played 2 April 2018''

Playoffs

Bold Series winner
''Italic'' Team with home-court advantage

Draft

The 2017–18 NBL Canada Draft and Combine was held on October 20–22. The

selected Aaron Williams first.

Awards

Player of the Week award

Coach of the Month award

End-of-season awards

Source: *Most Valuable Player:

Carl English Carl Jerome English (born February 2, 1981) is a Canadian former professional basketball player and general manager for the St. John's Edge of the National Basketball League of Canada. A shooting guard, he has also played for the Canadian nation ...

*Canadian Player of the Year:

*Newcomer of the Year:

Franklin Session Franklin "Frank Nitty" Session (born January 23, 1989) is an American professional basketball player who last played for Al-Gharafa of the Qatari Basketball League. He is best known for his performance in the Drew League, where he won four consec ...

*Defensive Player of the Year: Du'Vaughn Maxwell,

*Rookie of the Year:

Jaylon Tate Jaylon Tate (born January 16, 1995) is an American professional basketball player for the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC). Tate played college basketball for the University of Illinois. High school career Tate ...

*Sixth Man of the Year: Ta'Quan Zimmerman,

Halifax Hurricanes The Halifax Hurricanes are a professional basketball team based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Hurricanes were founded as members of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBLC) to replace the Halifax Rainmen, who declared bankruptcy in July 201 ...

*Coach of the Year: Mike Leslie,

References

External links

NBL Canada website
{{DEFAULTSORT:2017-18 NBL Canada season National Basketball League of Canada seasons 2017–18 in Canadian basketball