Vancouver Bandits extended head coach and general manager Kyle Julius’s contract through the 2024 season and gave him a year-round position with the team.
The announcement made during training camp on Friday, May 19, is a landmark appointment in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL). Julius has become the first head coach to be positioned by their club full-time in the market throughout the calendar year.
It marks a commitment between Julius and Bandits ownership to develop basketball in B.C. to a professional level.
Bryan Slusarchuk, co-owner of Bandits, said the team is grateful to Julius and thrilled he’s making the Vancouver area his home.
“Today’s announcement of this multi-year contract is indicative of the fact we are here for the long term, and we are trying to build an organization that is extremely competitive for the long term,” he said.
Julius said it’s one of the best coaching opportunities in the country.
“It’s a blessing to be a part of something so special, to have an ownership and management group that not only supports you as a coach, but wants your organization to truly help the community,” he said.
It marks Julius’ return since he led the Bandits to the brink of championship glory in 2020, when the team lost to the Edmonton Stingers in the Summer Series finals.
The Bandits roster this summer includes Alex Campbell, Malcolm Duvivier, and Shane Gibson. Last season, the trio nailed a combined 130 three-pointers of 316 attempts. Duvivier and Gibson finished in the top five in lead-leading three-point percentage, and this year marks their third and fourth season with the Bandits.
Giorgi Bezhanishvili, DJ Steward, and Nick Ward bring NBA G League and Summer League experience. This season will be Ward’s second CEBL campaign, and Steward played 28 games for the 2022-23 Sacramento King’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings.
Duane Notice and Stefan Jankovic are also joining the Bandits this season. Notice earned the Southeastern Conference sixth man of the year honours, taken the NCAA Tournament and the Raptors 905. Jankovic has played in the EuroLeague and EuroCup, and joined Julius during the 2021-22 season of P.League+ with the Formosa Dreamers.
Grant Shephard and Kur Jongkuch, both from Kelowna, join the Bandits this season. It’s Shephard’s first return to the Bandits after his debut in 2019 as a U Sports development athelete, and now brings the back-to-back U Sports championship. Jongkuch recently completed a five year NCAA Division 1 career.
Others from B.C. include Diego Mafia from Victoria, Brian Wallack from Surrey, and Gus Goerzen from the Okanagan.
Jaycee Hillsman also joins the Bandits this season with experience playing in Finland, Hungary, and the U.K.
“We have established a culture of toughness and we have worked hard to bring in a gritty group of like-minded guys. We know we have a rocky mountain to climb and we can’t wait to start,” Julius said.
Fans will notice the majority of the team is tall, averaging well over six-feet, and Julius explained it was pure coincidence.
“The players we chose are extremely talented and involved in the community.”
The Bandits start the 2023 CEBL campaign on Saturday, May 27, taking on the Winnipeg Sea Bears in an away game.
Hometown fans will have the first chance to watch the Bandits on home soil on Saturday, June 3, when they play against the Calgary Surge at Langley Events Centre.
Tickets can be bought at thebandits.ca.
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