Winnipeg Sea Bears captain Chad Posthumus has died, the team announced Thursday morning.

The Winnipeg native was in intensive care due to surgical complications after suffering a brain aneurysm during a training session earlier this month.

In a statement on social media, the basketball club said it was “deeply saddened” to announce the death of Posthumus — its first-ever draft pick.

“Chad fought hard but was unable to recover,” the statement said. “Chad was and will always remain the face of our team.”

Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

Get daily National news

Get the day’s top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day.

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News’ Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Posthumus’s Canadian Elite Basketball League career also saw him suit up for teams based in Saskatchewan, Ottawa and Edmonton. He has also played for teams in Argentina and Japan.

The graduate of Winnipeg’s River East Collegiate was only 33.

The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, people consider giving a donation to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

Details for a memorial service will be announced at a later date.

Click to play video: 'Winnipeg Sea Bears players return to Winnipeg'