Reader here, and after several weeks of front office moves and teases, Saskatchewan’s lone professional basketball franchise unveiled a new name and new look.
The Saskatchewan Rattlers are no more, as the Canadian Elite Basketball League club unveiled its rebrand yesterday in Saskatoon.
So long Saskatchewan Rattlers, hello Saskatoon Mamba.
The team’s new owners haven’t been shy about making changes, as the Mamba are working to hire a new head coach, general manager and team president. And now, there’s a new team identity to boot.
After winning the inaugural CEBL championship on their home court in 2019 (I was there for that title victory!), the Rattlers went through a dry spell ever since, and hadn’t been a true title contender in quite some time.
The Saskatchewan Rattlers celebrating their 2019 CEBL championship!
Now, the new owners are hoping that a refresh will change their fortunes, both on and off the court.
In a release, the club noted they were in the CEBL’s bottom third when it came to merchandise sales, and were hoping to connect more with the community with the rebrand.
(I’m sure going with purple and “Mamba” – a name associated with the late, great Kobe Bryant will probably help with that, especially among young basketball fans.)
Another new twist for 2026, is that the Mamba will be splitting their home games between SaskTel Centre, and Merlis Belsher Place, on the University of Saskatchewan campus.
So, a lot of changes afoot. Many people have commented on the change from “Saskatchewan” to “Saskatoon” in the team’s name, wondering if it means that there could potentially be a team down Highway 11 in Regina someday.
I think that would be very cool if that were to happen, as that means basketball would continue to grow in the province.
I became a hoops fan when I was a kid, getting into the game when Michael Jordan and the Bulls were on the rise to the top of the NBA, and played basketball all through elementary and high school, ultimately quitting hockey after pee-wee, to play basketball full-time in the winter instead.
Our high school basketball team would often make the trip to Saskatoon, hit the A&W on Idylwyld Drive, and then cruise over to Education Gym on the U of S (sorry… USask) campus, to see the Huskie basketball teams in action.
And I’ve been to numerous games over the years to see all of the various iterations of pro hoops in the Bridge City, starting with the Saskatchewan Storm of the World Basketball League, the Saskatoon Slam (which won the one and only National Basketball League championship in 1993), the Saskatchewan Hawks, that played one season each in the International Basketball Association and Continental Basketball Association, and, of course, the Rattlers.
And now, I look forward to checking out the Mamba in action.
We’ll see how fans take to the new look. But if the product on the floor is a contender, I think that’ll go a long way toward making fans of the new look in a hurry!
One question, though… What happens to Rattlers’ mascot Ssswish? Is there still a place for Ssswish, perhaps with a makeover, or will a new serpentine mascot roll into town to pump up Mamba fans? I guess we’ll see!
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