Ransford Brempong uses poetry to voice frustrations on racial inequality and to push for positive change
Liam Fox • September 30, 2020
Ransford Brempong made his name on the hardwood, but he leans on spoken word poetry as an intellectual and creative outlet. He has used it this year as a form of expression and commentary on the inequality that he sees in the world around him.
The 39-year-old spent last summer with the Fraser Valley Bandits after a lengthy playing career in Europe and with the Canadian national team. Now, Brempong is encouraging other Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) players to use their platform to create positive messages that inspire fellow Canadians to use their voice.
“Before I knew it, I had written that poem and it’s very relevant to what is going on,” Brempong said. “It’s just encouragement to everyone, like we can do better.”
Brempong’s poem – titled ‘Dap That’ – explores issues of social justice and the Black Lives Matter movement following the killing of George Floyd.
“It was the physical manifestation of 21 seconds of silence. Long enough to feel the violence,” states Brempong in his poem.
Part of why Brempong played in the CEBL last summer was because he wanted kids in Vancouver to see that they could play professional basketball in Canada. Inspiring the next generation has been a driving factor for him in pushing messages of justice and equality though his poetry as well. He thinks the CEBL and its players have an opportunity to make an impact in their respective Canadian communities.
“I would encourage the players in the CEBL to use their voice,” Brempong said. “What an opportunity to make a change for them in their lives. Also – more importantly – for your kids. They’re going to be the generation that’s coming up. As a basketball player, that’s kind of your job.”
“For players right now in the middle of their career, the prime of their career, your responsibility is to look out for that next generation through basketball. That’s the vehicle we are using, but it’s bigger than ball.”
Brempong is a basketball lifer, describing his recent career as going the “Vince Carter route” in terms of his longevity in the sport. Basketball, which included eight years spent with Canada’s Senior Men’s National Team, taught him how to push himself to be in uncomfortable situations and navigate a way through them.
That meant self-improvement.
Even though he practiced with Steve Nash and played against Kobe Bryant, Brempong understood the importance of also pushing himself off the court.
Brempong first got involved with spoken word poetry around 2011. He was playing professional basketball in Düsseldorf, Germany and was reading Jay-Z’s memoir, Decoded. In the book, Jay-Z reflects on his younger self coming up with rhymes in his head and never having to write them down to remember.
Brempong did not consider himself to have a great memory but wanted to challenge himself with doing the same. He spent a lot of time in Germany with his own thoughts, coming up with new rhymes and expanding on his poetic skills. It became a strong muscle for Brempong and led him to creating full-length poems.
He has lived among a variety of communities in and outside of Canada, granting him experiences that have given him plenty of perspective and material for his poetry.
Brempong grew up in Winnipeg and is a self-proclaimed “prairie boy at heart.” His parents are from Ghana, however, and he moved to Toronto in high school. Brempong was part of a diverse Toronto basketball scene with immigrants and cultures from across the globe. The sport took him next to college in North Carolina, which set the stage for a six-year stint as a European pro in Germany and Holland.
“All of those different cultures and different scenarios and people I met along the way just gave me a very open perspective to things that are happening daily to everyone,” Brempong said. “All of that came together in the poems that I wrote.”
He finds that poetry is a strong vehicle to bring ideas and experiences together. It also makes it easier for people to understand and relate to. Brempong has performed his poetry at various events in B.C. and has spoken about the racism he has seen in Canada.
“It’s good to spread a message. I feel like my message is one of inclusiveness,” Brempong said. “If you do it in a creative or eloquent way, a lot of the time people are able to accept it easier.”
Brempong now describes himself as a basketball consultant. He works with youth across North Vancouver, including an after-school program called 3PointBasketball. He got involved to help teach basketball technique to elementary school kids, knowing the importance of the grassroots level to growing the game.
Part of Brempong sharing his poetry is showing kids that trying to excel at something else does not take away from the type of athlete that you can be. He feels that social media often presents today’s kids with a mold where they think they have to fit. Brempong encourages kids to “write their own story.”
“I know for a lot of boys growing up, they try to take on the jock mentality,” he said. “I was always trying to buck the jock mentality. I was like, ‘I’m more than just a basketball player. Please don’t put me in that box.’”
Brempong says he recognizes that spoken word poetry is something that works for him personally, but he encourages the kids he coaches to experiment with creativity as a way to express themselves.
“Everyone has to find their own thing that works for them, but I definitely would say poetry or writing or any type of expression…that is going to stimulate your brain, it’s a good thing.”
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The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday that the club has partnered with the Vancouver Park Board, Bandits Community Foundation and Little Legends Foundation to support the refurbishment of an outdoor basketball court at Grays Park in South Vancouver. The refreshed court will be unveiled this fall as part of an official launch event in collaboration between the Vancouver Bandits, Vancouver Park Board, Bandits Community Foundation and Little Legends Foundation. The court refurbishment project is part of the Bandits Community Foundation’s Court Projects program that enhances outdoor basketball courts across British Columbia, including most recently a court refurbishment in partnership with City of Pitt Meadows in September of 2024. “Building a world class basketball court in this community has been a long time dream. Thanks to our partners at the Vancouver Bandits, Bandits Community Foundation and Vancouver Park Board for coming together to make this project happen - there are a number of incredible donors we are going to announce in the coming weeks,” said Little Legends Foundation founder Spensir Sangara. “Grays Park was the perfect place for Court Projects, the basketball culture here is strong and connected. The legacy goes beyond the refurbishment where, with Vancouver Bandits and Bandits Community Foundation, we are going to host free youth camps and The Legendary Tournament at Grays Park starting in 2026.” The partnership was sparked in 2023 when Sangara expressed interest in building a basketball court for the South Vancouver community. Around the same time, the Bandits Community Foundation had completed a similar project in Pitt Meadows with the City of Pitt Meadows, creating a natural alignment between the two organizations. “Basketball has the power to bring people together, and this project is about more than just a court - it is about creating a safe, vibrant space where young people and families can connect, play, and grow,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “We are proud to work through Court Projects with our partners in the Vancouver Park Board, Bandits Community Foundation, and Little Legends Foundation to invest in South Vancouver and to use sport as a tool for building resilience, unity, and positive change in the community.” The court refurbishment at Grays Park, located at 4850 St. Catherines Street in Vancouver, includes upgrades to the basketball hoops, playing area resurfacing and seating areas. Grays Park was identified as one of Vancouver’s most active outdoor basketball spaces, and community feedback strongly supported the refurbishment. "It has been amazing to see the local community come together with the Vancouver Bandits to upgrade this beloved neighbourhood court," says Vancouver Park Board Chair Laura Christensen. "Strategic partnerships like this allow us to deliver so much public benefit for our residents.
A message from Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius on the 2025 season and thoughts on the CEBL Western Conference Semifinal.
The last of this year’s four CEBL conference finalists was locked in once the dust settled at the Langley Events Centre on Saturday. It was the Calgary Surge earning that slot after 105-103 win over the Vancouver Bandits in the West Semifinal. Import Jameer Nelson Jr.’s 14-of-23 showing from the field and Evan Gilyard II, who finished with 29 points on a CEBL playoff record eight made triples, powered the Surge to the win. On the other side, Zach Copeland led Vancouver’s effort as he put up 30 points on 7-of-14 shooting from three and three steals. Meanwhile, captain Mitch Creek and Montreal native Tyrese Samuel chipped in 25 and 22 points, respectively. “We hunted them down, got to a position to win the game,” Creek said after the loss. “We did our job … I’m beyond proud of this organization. It’s been an incredible season, we had so much fun. But it’s so heartbreaking.” Calgary’s backcourt was humming early. First, a Miller-Moore baseline drive and dish to Gilyard II above the break for a triple, followed by a Gilyard II drive and wrap-around pass to a cutting Nelson Jr. for two more and then a Gilyard II transition make from distance for good measure. But just as it seemed Calgary was well on its way to figuring out Vancouver’s defensive strategy as the Surge held an early lead, the tides quickly changed on one play. The Bandits ran a fastbreak midway through the opening frame that not only ended with Creek finding Samuel on a dump-off pass for an easy slam, but also saw Nelson Jr. tweak something in his lower body. The Defensive Player of the Year finalist hobbled to the Surge sideline and eventually the locker room. When the Defensive Player of the Year finalist did return to the floor, what was once an 18-18 ball game had turned into a 26-18 Bandits lead. Vancouver’s charge went down as a 13-0 run as it ultimately carved out a 27-23 advantage after the first, led by Samuel’s eight points. A short-lived lead, however, as Calgary flipped the script on what was once a nine-point first-half deficit into a 61-51 lead at the break. The Surge outscored the Bandits 35-22 in the second, including a 17-2 run powered primarily by none other than the dynamic duo of Nelson Jr. and Gilyard II, who scored seven and 12 points in the frame, respectively. Also underscoring Calgary’s halftime lead was an uncharacteristically sloppy showing from Vancouver. The Bandits entered the matchup averaging the third fewest turnovers per game (13.7), but gave the ball away 11 times in the first half. Mistakes the Surge happily capitalized on with a barrage of transition triples — on 11-of-20 (55 per cent) — for a 21-1 edge for points from turnovers. And although the Bandits' struggles handling the ball continued — 10 second-half turnovers — they were able to cool down the Surge coming out of the break. Vancouver outscored Calgary 23-17 in the third, cutting what was a deficit as large as 14 down to 78-74 headed into the fourth. “We were sluggish walking around in the first half, but we came in the huddle at halftime and says ‘we got this,’” Creek said of the Bandits' second-half effort. “We changed gears, we switched mentalities and (the Langley Events Centre) woke up because we woke up.” The Bandits' momentum only continued from there as they used an 8-2 run early in the fourth to propel them to a 96-95 lead at the start of Target Score Time. Lost in the one-point advantage was a choice from Vancouver not to foul when they led by four a few possessions earlier, a decision Gilyard II made sure to make the most of as he hit a triple before the clocks stopped. After three consecutive foul calls which sent Vancouver to the line, which were overturned by independent official review, a back-and-forth Target Score Time came down to one final play that put the ball in Gilyard II’s hands. The import was fouled by Kyle Mangas while attempting a triple, sending him to the line for the win. After an official review — all foul calls that result in potential game-winning free throws are automatically reviewed — the on-court decision was confirmed and Gilyard II nailed all his attempts at the charity stripe, booking the Surge’s spot in the Western Conference Final. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2700450
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on August 16th, 2025.
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Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on August 16th, 2025.
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Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on July 25, 2025.