Bentley’s Declan Peterson got a late start in basketball, now he’s preparing for rookie campaign in CEBL

The Bentley native didn’t even pick up a basketball until he was in Grade 10 but once he did, opportunities to play at the next level came knocking.

On April 10 he watched from home as his dream of becoming a professional basketball player became a reality.

“It was a surreal experience,” Peterson said. “There’s not a lot of people who get this opportunity. So, to be able to have this opportunity, and to be able to just experience that, it was a surreal experience… The amount of love and support I got from my friends and family afterwards was awesome.”

He was surprised to be selected as high in the draft as he was because he recently just came off an ankle injury he sustained during the U Sports National semi-finals.

Peterson just wrapped up his first season with the University of Calgary Dinos men’s basketball team.

He helped lead the team to a Canada West title and a runner-up finish at the U Sports Final 8 in Vancouver.

Peterson made a big impact as a rookie in Calgary where he started 21 of 22 games across the regular season and playoffs. In that time, he averaged eight points and 7.2 rebounds in just under 19 minutes per game. Standing at six feet 11 inches tall, the centre also recorded 44 blocks.

Peterson has two years of eligibility remaining with the Dinos and plans to finish it while playing for the Rattlers in the summer. The CEBL season runs from May until July.

Before suiting up at the U of C, he played for two years for the Lethbridge College Kodiaks in order to develop his game for the next level.

“This season in Calgary was a great year,” he said. “The guys around were just amazing, and they welcomed me with open arms. They were ready to go to war and fight for a national title… We had to battle some adversity, but we grew even closer near the end. Competing for a national title was amazing and we’ll try to get back there next year.”

Next up, Peterson will head to Saskatoon for training camp on May 2 to begin his journey as a professional athlete.

So far, all indications from the team are that he’ll come off the bench as a backup centre.

He won’t see a lot of minutes in his rookie season, barring any significant injuries from other players, but he’s excited to learn.

“It’s a great opportunity to learn from guys who’ve played professionally overseas, NCAA Division I, and have played in the NBA G League,” he said. “I want to learn from them as much as I can and gain some more experience.”

His success has been the result of a lot of extra time put in at the gym working on his craft. Just two years ago, he went to Lethbridge because he didn’t feel he was ready for the USports level, now he’s preparing to play his first season of professional basketball.

“I want to keep that momentum and mindset of just trying to get better every single day,” he said. “It’s great to look back and see how far I’ve come.”

Peterson comes from an athletic family but originally, basketball was never a sport he thought would be a part of his future.

He grew up playing lacrosse and planned to get a scholarship to play Lacrosse in the NCAA.

Basketball was always a sport he played to help with conditioning but with a gentle push from an influential coach, he realized his potential in basketball.

He went to Lacombe High School and didn’t start playing the game until he was in Grade 10.

In Grade 12, he took basketball more seriously when an assistant coach informed him colleges were interested in recruiting him.

The Rams went on to have a great year including the central zone championship in 2022.

With his first CEBL season right around the corner, he couldn’t be more excited and knows he made the right choice to pick up a basketball five years ago.

“That door opened when I closed the door on lacrosse, and it flipped a switch that basketball might be my calling.”

by Ian Gustafson

Bentley’s Declan Peterson got a late start in basketball, now he’s preparing for rookie campaign in CEBL

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