Sea Bears captain made everyone feel special Beloved ‘Beast from River East’ was a hometown hero By: Joshua Frey-Sam Posted: 9:01 AM CST Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 Last Modified: 9:27 PM CST Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 Updates

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There was nothing small about Chad Posthumus.

Those closest to him point to his giant heart and personality. Others could feel his large presence in the community, and certainly his 6-10 frame on the hardwood.

“As big as he was — larger than life physically — his personality was actually even bigger,” said former teammate and friend Justus Alleyn.

“(Anybody) who’s ever met Chad, whether they grew up with him or they just met him in passing, he left an impression on them, he always made them feel special.”

On Thursday, the Canadian basketball community mourned the immense loss of Posthumus, the 33-year-old team captain of the Winnipeg Sea Bears and homegrown fan-favourite, who died Wednesday due to complications that arose after brain surgery.

Posthumus, who was stricken by a brain aneurysm during a training session on Nov. 9, underwent a successful surgery but battled complexities in intensive care for 11 days.

“Chad fought hard but was unable to recover,” the Sea Bears wrote on its Instagram post that announced his death Wednesday. “Chad was and will always remain the face of our team.”

Affectionally known as the Beast from River East, Posthumus became a local icon after being the first player to sign with the Sea Bears franchise before its inaugural season in the Canadian Elite Basketball League in 2023.

He is widely regarded as one of the best players to ever come from Manitoba thanks to a 10-year professional career that included stops in Japan, Argentina and across Canada. He was also a member of Team Canada, wearing the maple leaf in the World Cup and AmeriCup.

“Chad was a beast. That’s why they call him the Beast from River East. Defensively, he was the anchor of any team he was on,” Alleyn said.

“The main thing, too, is his longevity and what he’s been able to accomplish. A lot of guys don’t have the privilege of having a pro career, let alone playing into their thirties and contributing on every team they were on,” he continued. “He’s someone that any player, especially any centre, should be looking up to and trying to mould their game after.”

On the court, Posthumus had the ability to connect with fans, teammates and even opponents everywhere he played. He had an even greater impact away from the arena, where he was actively involved in giving back to his community as a KidSport Ambassador, community speaker and advocate for those living with Type 1 diabetes.

“In my opinion, Chad perfectly embodies what we would like the Sea Bears to be about: good people representing Winnipeg’s own professional basketball,” Sea Bears coach Mike Taylor said earlier this year when Posthumus committed to a second season with the Winnipeg club.

Posthumus made a name for himself at River East Collegiate, where he was one of the top recruits in the country by the time he graduated.

He went on to suit up for the University of British Columbia for one season before transferring to Howard College in Texas, where he would also play one season before finishing his post-secondary career at Morehead State, an NCAA Division 1 program in Kentucky, where he had the second-most rebounds in the U.S. in 2014.

A repeated sentiment about Posthumus was his authentic attitude toward anything and anyone, regardless of his relationship with them. He was never too busy for a picture or to take time to visit with fans, and always had a smile while doing it. Those qualities were evident from a young age.

“The first thing I would say is his exuberance. Just a guy that really embraced life and was comfortable in his own skin,” recalled Rod Uzat, who coached Posthumus for three years at River East and has a deep connection with the family. “He was a big guy, he drew a lot of attention all the time, but a lot of times kids at that age, they’re not necessarily comfortable with that and some those bigger kids can be a little bit more withdrawn… but Chad, he was larger than life and he had a great sense of humour.

“He would joke about pretty much anything — he kept you off balance with his approach to things. He had a unique view of the world that way.”

Uzat shared several stories about Posthumus’ sheer dominance as a high schooler and how he was rarely given the benefit of the doubt with referees due to his size. One of his favourite comments came from Gord Puttaert, a physical education teacher at River East for more than 30 years.

“He told me that he thought that Chad may very well be the best athlete that was ever at that school,” he said. “That just gives you an example.”

Posthumus’ popularity was on full display throughout Thursday, as an outpouring of support for his family from fans and friends flooded social media. Some of the city’s and province’s leaders took time to express their condolences, as well.

“He was our captain. Leader of the Sea Bears. The Beast from River East, somebody that we were so proud of to have come out of our hometown. On a personal level, I saw him playing basketball with kids at the Mayfair basketball courts when we had our community barbecue just this past year — wonderful person,” Manitoba premier Wab Kinew said during question period at the Manitoba Legislature.

Winnipeg mayor Scott Gillingham added at city hall: “Chad was just an outstanding man. A great ambassador for the sport of basketball in Winnipeg and around Manitoba. He had a magnanimous personality to match his physical size, and so his death is a huge loss to all of us.”

The Sea Bears have set up a digital book of condolences on its website.

The Posthumus family has asked that in lieu of flowers, people consider donating to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Memorial service details will be released at a later date.

“We thank you for all of the support and prayers we received through this difficult time,” the Posthumus family said in an emailed statement.

“We love you, Chad.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca

X: @jfreysam