Bandits Extend CEBL Coach of the Year Kyle Julius Through the 2025 and 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League Seasons

October 23, 2024

LANGLEY, BC, Oct. 23, 2024 –  The Vancouver Bandits announced Wednesday that the club has extended its head coach and general manager, Kyle Julius, through the 2025 and 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) seasons in a year-round capacity. 


Julius joined the club in 2020 during the Bandits’ second CEBL season and made an immediate impact, helping the team advance to its first-ever CEBL championship in his dual role. Fast forward to 2024 and Julius once again led the Bandits to the CEBL finals this past August, losing by just two points to the Niagara River Lions. 


A native of Thunder Bay, Ont., Julius’ tenure with the Bandits has fuelled the rise of BC’s pro basketball team to become an annual CEBL contender. Vancouver has advanced to the CEBL postseason in each of his five seasons at the helm and has won various individual and team accolades along the way; including Julius being named Coach of the Year at the league’s annual awards last August in Montréal.


“The past five seasons with the Bandits have been an incredibly rewarding experience for my family and I. It has been truly amazing to have the opportunity to live here locally, build relationships in the community and help drive the growth of the Bandits and develop the club into the CEBL’s premier organization,” Julius said.


“We have created a winning culture here in BC through tremendous hard work, trials, tribulations and lots of special moments. Our coaching staff has consisted of great people, our players have been outstanding and our front office has contributed on so many different levels.” 


The Bandits finished the 2024 season with a 14-6 record – the club’s best regular season result in franchise history. At 2024 CEBL Championship Weekend, Julius led the franchise to win its first-ever western conference championship. 


The CEBL campaign is expanding to a 24-game regular season slate in 2025. With the club’s best-ever finish and numerous individual and team accomplishments to its name over the past five seasons under the direction of Julius, the organization is primed for an even bigger year ahead.


“Coach Kyle is an instrumental part of our organization. Over five seasons of Bandits Basketball, he has instilled core values in our roster and front office that continue to resonate and attract talent to our team. His leadership as a community ambassador during the CEBL offseason and a tactician on the court each summer has been inspiring to watch and we will continue to support his vision for winning basketball and community impact over the next two years,” said Bandits team president Dylan Kular.


Organizational and roster development is integral to Julius’ approach to recruiting coaches and players. Since joining Vancouver, Julius has created a nurturing culture where players can learn and grow, often earning CEBL award recognition and receiving overseas and NBA contracts following a summer with the Bandits. 


Players earning notable distinctions following a season with the Bandits include:

  • 2024 CEBL Most Valuable Player: Tazé Moore
  • 2024 CEBL Canadian Player of the Year: Koby McEwen
  • 2022 CEBL Developmental Player of the Year: Thomas Kennedy
  • 2021 Defensive Player of the Year: Brandon Gilbeck


“I am very grateful for everyone's hard work, sacrifice and support of our vision to become one of the best sports franchises in all of North America. I am thrilled to build on what we have all worked so hard to create here for the past five summers. We have the best fans in the league and I can't wait to get back out there in front of them again at LEC,” Julius said.


“On behalf of the Julius family, I want to genuinely thank our ownership of Kevin Dhaliwal and Bryan Slusarchuk, as well as our team president Dylan Kular for their unwavering support and collaborative efforts in building our vision and culture.”


In addition to establishing the Bandits as a perennial contender on the court, Julius has planted far-reaching roots in the province’s basketball community; conducting more than 50 school visits to middle and secondary schools across the Lower Mainland during the 2023-24 CEBL offseason, hosting virtual and in-person Basketball BC and Canada Basketball coaching seminars and leading weekly Train Like A Bandit skill sessions for high school boys and girls athletes this fall at the Bandits’ home venue of Langley Events Centre (LEC). 


The Bandits’ seventh CEBL season will tip-off in May 2025. A full season schedule is expected to be announced in the coming months.


Featuring newly added Courtside Club seating options and a revamped seating bowl configuration, season tickets for the Vancouver Bandits’ 2025 season are on sale now at this link.


More information is available at thebandits.ca and @vancouverbandits on Instagram and TikTok, as well as @vancitybandits on Facebook and Twitter.


Fans interested in learning more are kindly invited to subscribe to Bandits Insider for updates or contact the Bandits at 604-455-8881 or [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 12 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. Eighteen 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.

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Les BlackJacks d’Ottawa de la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball (LECB) ont annoncé aujourd’hui la nomination de Jason Winters à titre de nouveau président du club. Winters se joint aux BlackJacks après avoir occupé le poste de directeur général de Myers Kanata Nissan depuis 2019. Chef d’entreprise très respecté au sein de la communauté ottavienne, lui et sa famille ont également possédé et exploité plusieurs franchises Booster Juice dans la région de la capitale. Détenteur d’abonnements de saison des BlackJacks de longue date, Winters apporte une profonde passion pour le basketball ainsi qu’un solide bilan en matière de partenariats authentiques et de création de valeur tangible pour les parties prenantes. « En tant que détenteur d’abonnement saisonnier et fier partisan des BlackJacks, il a été incroyable de voir l’évolution de l’équipe et la notoriété croissante de la LECB au Canada », a déclaré Winters. « Assumer le rôle de président pour diriger cette équipe et servir notre communauté est un honneur pour ma famille et moi. Je suis enthousiaste et déterminé à bâtir sur les bases solides que les BlackJacks ont déjà établies, avec intégrité, passion et un profond respect pour nos partisans et la communauté d’Ottawa. » Dans son nouveau rôle de président, Jason guidera les BlackJacks vers une ère nouvelle et prometteuse — en renforçant les liens avec la communauté et en accroissant l’impact du club, tant sur le terrain qu’en dehors, alors que l’équipe continue d’élargir sa présence au sein de la LECB et dans toute la région d’Ottawa. « Nous sommes fiers et honorés d’accueillir Jason dans ce rôle de leadership », a déclaré Justin Pascoe, PDG de Diamond Sports Canada. « En tant que membre de longue date de la communauté d’Ottawa, il apporte une vaste expérience professionnelle, une réputation d’excellence et de solides valeurs familiales qui lui ont valu le respect généralisé dans toute la région. » « Le leadership, l'intégrité et la passion de toujours de Jason pour le basketball font de lui la personne idéale pour guider les BlackJacks vers une nouvelle étape prometteuse », a poursuivi Pascoe. « Il incarne les valeurs que nous souhaitons voir représenter par ce club et entretient un véritable lien avec nos partisans et notre communauté. Ensemble, nous ferons des BlackJacks une équipe dont nos partisans, nos commanditaires et notre ville pourront être fiers, tant sur le terrain qu’en dehors. » Diplômé du Collège Algonquin des arts appliqués et de la technologie, Winters vit dans le quartier Old Ottawa South avec sa famille : Sherry, Archer, Zoe et Nevaeah. Les forfaits d’abonnement pour la saison 2026 sont maintenant disponibles en ligne à l’adresse theblackjacks.ca/season-seat-memberships . ###

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The Ottawa BlackJacks of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced today the appointment of Jason Winters as the club’s new president. Winters joins the BlackJacks having served as the general manager of Myers Kanata Nissan since 2019. A highly respected business leader in the Ottawa community. He and his family have also owned and operated multiple Booster Juice franchises across the Capital Region. A long-time BlackJacks season ticket holder, Winters brings a deep passion for basketball along with a proven track record of building authentic partnerships and delivering meaningful value to stakeholders. “As someone who has been in the stands as a proud season ticket holder and fan of the BlackJacks, it has been incredible to watch the growth and awareness of the team and the CEBL in Canada,” said Winters. “Stepping into the role of President to lead this team and serve our community is something that my family and I are honoured to do. I am excited and committed to building on the foundation the BlackJacks have already established with integrity, passion and a deep respect for our fans and the Ottawa community.” In his new role as President, Jason will lead the BlackJacks into an exciting new era - strengthening community ties and enhancing the club’s impact both on and off the court as the team continues to grow its presence in the CEBL and across the Ottawa region. “We are proud and privileged to welcome Jason into this leadership role,” said Justin Pascoe, CEO of Diamond Sports Canada. “As a long-standing member of the Ottawa community, he brings a wealth of professional experience, a reputation for excellence and strong family values that have earned him widespread respect throughout the region.” “Jason’s leadership, integrity and lifelong passion for basketball make him the ideal person to guide the BlackJacks into an exciting new chapter,” continued Pascoe. “He embodies the values we want this club to stand for and has a true connection to our fans and community. Together, we will make the BlackJacks a team that our fans, sponsors and city can be proud of on and off the court” A graduate of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology, Winters lives in Old Ottawa South with his family, Sherry, Archer, Zoe and Nevaeah. Season seat packages for the 2026 campaign are now available online at theblackjacks.ca/season-seat-memberships . ###

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Couvrette se joint à la LECB en tant que directeur principal, partenariats corporatifs

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Joignez-vous à nous pour souhaiter la bienvenue à Jean Couvrette, qui se joint à la Ligue élite canadienne de basketball à titre de directeur principal, partenariats corporatifs. Jean apporte plus de 30 ans d'expérience dans le développement de partenariats, le marketing sportif et la gestion d’équipes de ventes. Il a occupé des postes clés au sein d'organisations telles que le Grand Prix de Formule 1 du Canada, Professional Sports Management, SPORTSQUÉBEC et les Alouettes de Montréal, où il a constamment obtenu d'excellents résultats en matière de commandites et de ventes. Plus récemment, il a agi à titre de consultant pour des organisations de premier plan, dont Soccer Québec, la Fédération québécoise des sports cyclistes, les Carabins de l’Université de Montréal, Ironman Mont-Tremblant et Golf Québec. Bienvenue dans l’équipe de la LECB, Jean!