Elijah Wiebe (Wesman Athletics)
Elijah Wiebe, a 6-foot-6 guard/forward from Central Canada Prep and Westwood Collegiate, has become the inaugural commitment to Coach Mike Raimbault’s Winnipeg Wesmen men’s basketball program for the 2024/25 season.
Contemplating options beyond the province for his post-secondary education, Wiebe said he ultimately opted to stay local after observing the Wesmen’s recent successes.
“It’s something that I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid,” Wiebe said.
“I’ve always just wanted to play as high of a level as I can get to. Just in the last few years, the fact that U of W has become that good team that people want to get to and people want to play for, having that opportunity to join such a good team and it’s in my home city is something I couldn’t really turn down.”
Wiebe, who has showcased his talents on various platforms including the Manitoba U17 provincial team, earned recognition as one of the top players in the province during his senior season. His prowess on the court was highlighted by his performance at last year’s Canada Basketball nationals, where he averaged 14.7 points across six games and shot 40 per cent from three.
“We are excited to add Elijah to the group. He has a good mix of size, skill and potential,” Raimbault said. “His ability to shoot the deep ball is something that he can continue to develop his game around as he adjusts to the next level.”
Wiebe credits his experience at Central Canada Prep for preparing him for the collegiate level, emphasizing the exposure to high-level competition as instrumental in his development.
Nick Lother, a UW alumni who coached Wiebe at Central Canada Prep and with Evolve Basketball, echoed Raimbault’s sentiments.
“Coach Raimbault and his staff are getting another highly recruited student-athlete who will be a massive asset to their program immediately and into the future,” Lother said.
“Elijah is intelligent, highly skilled and an elite level shooter. His combination of length and shooting ability is rare and we know it will cause opposing teams in the country much difficulty to plan for in the coming years.”
