Sea Bears to retire Posthumus’s No. 33, raise jersey to rafters in season opener

Chad Posthumus proudly spent the last two years of his life as the face of the Winnipeg Sea Bears franchise, a responsibility he embodied on and off the court every day.

The pro basketball organization wants to ensure that distinction remains with him forever.

Prior to the Sea Bears’ season opener against the visiting Edmonton Stingers on May 16, Posthumus’s jersey will be raised to the rafters of Canada Life Centre, and his No. 33 will be retired to honour a remarkable career and a life that ended suddenly last year.

Posthumus died on Nov. 20 after complications arose while recovering from brain surgery to repair an aneurysm. He was 33.

“For me, I love Chad, and he meant so much to me and so much to the organization,” Sea Bears head coach Mike Taylor said. “There’s nobody that was more proud to be a Sea Bear, and I think it’s one of those things where we’re really thankful that he could have the whole honour like this. I think it’s a great thing, it’s a fitting tribute, and there’s no better person that it should happen for.”

As a further tribute to the homegrown hoops star, Mayor Scott Gillingham will designate Donald Street between Portage and Graham avenues as “Chad Posthumus Way.” Sea Bears players will also wear a commemorative “33 Forever” patch on their jerseys this season.

“It shows you the reach of his impact, right?” said Sea Bears owner and chairman David Asper. “And we think it’s worth repeating the honour as a testament to what Chad brought to our team and to the basketball community.”

Posthumus, who is widely regarded as one of the best talents to come from the province, was the first player-signing in Sea Bears’ franchise history in 2023. His larger-than-life personality quickly captivated fans, especially children, and made him a fan favourite of many.

A celebration of life on Dec. 6 saw thousands of Winnipeggers pack Springs Church to pay their respects to the beloved athlete.

“When you go beyond that he was the first player that we signed, and when you go beyond that he was the captain of the team, you really have to get into Chad’s personality because not every player is as extroverted and as caring as Chad was,” Asper said.

“He stepped into the role of effectively the face of the franchise immediately. And because he was so big, and because he was such a warm, friendly human being, he made an immediate impact with everybody that he connected with, and especially kids.”

Affectionally known as the Beast from River East, where he was a high school hoops legend, Posthumus was actively involved in the community as a KidSport Ambassador, community speaker and advocate for those living with Type 1 diabetes. He was recently a recipient of the King Charles III Coronation Medal, a recognition awarded to Canadians who have made significant contributions to their communities.

“All those things sort of created this persona,” Asper added. “It was really quite remarkable. Very quickly, too, like you have to remember it was only two years. So, when somebody does that, and somebody has that ‘it’ factor and is so instrumental in animating and bringing to life a sports team, then it’s worth honour and recognition.”

Upwards of 300 seats have been designated for family and friends of Posthumus on opening night.

Diana, Chad’s mother, wants it to be a night of celebration because “that’s what Chad would’ve wanted.”

“As a family, we’re absolutely ecstatic about the fact that the jersey is going to be raised at the arena and that they’re going to retire his number. It just means so much to us, right? We’ve lost such a big part of our life, and then just to see a little bit of him continuing, and the memory of him continuing, those kinds of things have been really heartwarming for us in lots of ways,” she said.

“There’s a saying out there that says, ‘When somebody stops saying the person’s name or honouring that person after they’ve passed away, then they kind of pass away again for a second time,’ and I’m hoping that with honouring Chad in this way and keeping his memory alive, that that’s something that’s going to stay with Winnipeg for a long time.”

Support for the family has remained strong in the months following Posthumus’ death.

Diana has lost count on how many stories she’s heard about her son, saying she’s received calls and messages from former friends, teammates and coaches around the world. Posthumus’s 10-year professional career took him to 25 countries, and his family has learned that he had a similar impact on everyone who met him.

“As a parent… it’s just comforting to know that there are so many people across the world that have touched base with us and have really taken the time to not just once, not just, ‘Here’s my condolences,’ but many, many people have followed up with, ‘Here’s what your son did for my child,’ or, ‘What your son did with me while I was playing,’ Diana said.

“I think it’s the stories that are so heartwarming.”

Tip-off on May 16 is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., but fans are encouraged to arrive early to take in the ceremony.

“After Chad had the aneurysm…we talked about living your life not as though it’s your last day, but living your life with purpose,” said Asper. “And I hope that people will take away that this is much more than simply recognizing a guy who was a crucial part to the creation of the Sea Bears and our team and all that kind of stuff, but he was a guy who lived his life with purpose every single day.”

joshua.frey-sam@freepress.mb.ca