Halifax Hurricanes player profile: Joseph Bertrand, Shooting Guard

Joseph Bertrand had never been to Canada before signing with the Halifax Hurricanes. The 24-year-old shooting guard is ready for something new, and he can’t wait to start a new chapter in Halifax.

“I’m ready to have a new experience,” he said.

Bertrand went to high school in his hometown of Sterling, IL, moving on to play college basketball at the University of Illinois. In four seasons with Illinois, Bertrand shot 50 per cent from the field and averaged seven points per game.

After going undrafted in the 2014 NBA draft, Bertrand joined Larochette, a professional team in Luxembourg. But just a few months later he was selected by the Westchester Knicks, an affiliate of the New York Knicks, as their first pick in the 2014 NBA development league draft.

Unfortunately, Bertrand was waived by Westchester at the end of training camp in November 2014. He later signed with Mexican club Nauticos de Mazatlan, where he spent the 2014-15 season.

At six-feet-six-inches tall and 200 pounds, Bertrand is a difficult player to defend and brings a lot of strength to the shooting guard position. Last season with Mazatlan he appeared in 22 games, shooting 52 per cent from the field and averaging 11 points per game.

With the Hurricanes, Bertrand is looking forward to working hard every day and hopefully bringing home a championship. He’s a very well-rounded athlete too, as he competed nationally in both tennis and gymnastics when he was younger. Off the court, Bertrand enjoys listening to music and the occasional Netflix binge.

“I’m very excited about the season and having another opportunity to improve as a player,” he said. “I’m looking forward to putting on the jersey and making Halifax fans proud.”