Vancouver Bandits Sign NBA experienced and 2024 South East Melbourne Captain Mitchell Creek

The Vancouver Bandits announced Saturday that the club has signed decorated and NBA-experienced swingman Mitchell Creek for the remainder of the club’s current Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season at Langley Events Centre (LEC).

The Bandits currently sit second in the CEBL standings with a 9-4 record. Sporting no. 55, Creek will dress for tomorrow’s game at LEC versus the visiting Saskatchewan Rattlers.

Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m. PT. Tickets for the game, which is themed “Hometown Hoops and Heroes” in honour of local first responders are going fast and are available for purchase at this link. 

“I am excited to join the Bandits to help as best I can to continue their great season and push further to call ourselves champions. I am pumped to meet all of the incredible fans, team and members of the organization,” Creek said.

Creek’s resumé checks off every level of the global basketball scene. During the 2018-19 campaign, he appeared in a combined five NBA regular season games split between the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 4.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game on 50 per cent shooting from the field between time spent with both clubs.

A native of Horsham, Australia, Creek is a notable member of the country’s basketball scene. As part of its men’s national program, known as the Boomers, Creek has been a key cog in the program’s ascent; winning a 2017 FIBA Asia Cup title and representing his nation at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. 

Further demonstrating his national pride, Creek has appeared in more than 300 games in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL), which is widely regarded as one of the top 10 professional basketball leagues in the world. Creek served as captain of the South East Melbourne Phoenix during the recent 2023-24 campaign. Creek led the Phoenix by example; averaging 31.9 minutes, 20.8 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game on 49 per cent shooting from field goal range.

Creek becomes the second Australian to suit up for the Bandits, joining Kyle Adnam, who previously served as co-captain of the Phoenix and was a member of Vancouver’s roster in 2022.

“We are all really excited to add Mitch. I was devastated to find out about the loss of James, so adding Mitch fills a significant void. He is an incredibly well accomplished player who plays the game the right way with high-level toughness and skill,” Julius said.

“He will be a valuable piece to our championship run.”

A 6-foot-5 swingman capable of playing the guard and forward positions, Creek is no stranger to the international basketball landscape. Since turning pro in 2010 as a member of the Adelaide 36ers, Creek has played in the German Bundesliga (Göttingen, 2017-18), the Chinese Basketball Association (Xinjiang Flying Tigers (2023-24) and Puerto Rico (2022-24).

All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on TSN+, as well as the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices).

Individuals interested in ticket flexibility or purchasing a bundle of tickets are invited to consider a flex pack or season tickets. More information can be found at thebandits.ca/tickets or by speaking with a  Bandits representative by calling (604) 455-8881 or emailing [email protected].

A complete regular season schedule can be found by clicking here. More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.

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For Vancouver Bandits media inquiries, please contact:

Andrew Savory, Vice President, Business Operations, (604) 217-6213, [email protected] 

About the Vancouver Bandits:

The Vancouver Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club

in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the Bandits offer an entertainment experience that

combines a fast-paced game day atmosphere with a presentation of some of Canada’s top

professional athletes within a world-class venue at Langley Events Centre (LEC). More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.

About the CEBL:

A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 10 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. Fourteen players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ powered by BetVictor, TSN, TSN+, RDS, Game+, Next Level Sports & Entertainment and Courtside1891. More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, LinkedIn, Facebook & YouTube.