Oshae Brissett

BIOGRAPHY

Oshae Jahve Brissett was born on June 20, 1998, in Toronto, Canada, to Jamaican parents McKeitha McFarlane and Bernard Brissett, who had separated around the time of his birth. He spent the first four years of his life in the Jane & Finch neighborhood before moving to Mississauga where he surged into adolescence. He graduated from St. Aloysius Gonzaga Secondary School, and he polished his basketball skill set at Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada, later serving a successful term as the captain of the Athlete Institute in Mono, Ontario. This exceptional player belongs to the pool of Canadian professional basketball players who have gained international recognition and continues to make his country proud in the global basketball arena.

In college, Oshae played at Syracuse University for two seasons (2017-2019) where he demonstrated a remarkable performance. As a freshman, he quickly established his presence in the Orange starting lineup, where he provided a strong interior presence. He recorded an impressive average of 14.9 points and 8.8 rebounds per game in his freshman year and the 12.4 points and 7.5 rebounds in his sophomore year. Although his decision to give up his remaining two years of eligibility stirred controversy in 2018, his undrafted status did not translate into a career setback.

On July 23, 2019, the Toronto Raptors of the NBA recognized his potential and signed him. He spent time with the Raptors and the team’s G League affiliate, Raptors 905, exhibiting a commendable performance with an average of 15.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. In January 2020, his excellent performance saw him score a career-high 12 points despite the Raptors’ loss to the Portland Trail Blazers. However, he was waived by the team during the 2020–21 season.

Oshae did not stay out of the game for long as he was selected by the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the 2021 NBA G League draft. His stay with the team saw him play in 12 games where he averaged 18 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in about 34.6 minutes per game. This spectacular performance in the G League, in turn, guaranteed his spot on the All-NBA G League Second Team.

In April 2021, ‎the journeyman once again found himself signing a contract, this time with the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He had a promising start with a career-first as he scored 13 points in his very first start. During his time with the Pacers, he impressed coaches and fans alike by displaying noteworthy agility and endurance, leading to the signing of a three-year contract with the Pacers. Despite signing the contract, however, he continued to hone his craft as he scored 23 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and recorded three blocks in a match against the Oklahoma City Thunder that ended in their favor.

In July 2023, Brissett found solace with the Boston Celtics, where he had his career breakthrough. During his first regular season with the Celtics, he appeared in 55 games recording average statistics of 3.7 points per game, 2.9 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 11.5 minutes. He played a significant role in leading the Celtics to victory in the 2023-24 season in which they defeated the Dallas Mavericks in five games, marking his first NBA championship.

In addition to his load work in the NBA, Oshae has heeded Canada’s call to represent the country on the international stage. He made a commitment to play with the Canadian Senior Men’s national team in May 2022. On a more personal note, a touch of athletics runs in his family too, as his elder brother, Dejon Brissett, pursues a career in the Canadian Football League after being drafted second overall in the 2020 CFL Draft by the Toronto Argonauts. As of now, Oshae looks forward to his free agency after declining a $2.5 million player option on June 23, 2024, marking another milestone in his dynamic and illustrious career as a professional basketball player.