Last September, CEBL revealed a list of players who had signed option letters with their respective teams ahead of the upcoming 2020 season. These players are protected from contact with any other club until 12.01 a.m. ET on Monday, March 2, 2020, and only if not signed by that date.

Now, with free agency literally around the corner ( Saturday, Feb. 1 ), let us reintroduce you to the top-12 heavy hitters on the protected list, including some 2019 CEBL award winners.

Xavier Moon, Edmonton Stingers, 25 (Point guard)

What you need to know: The six-foot-two point guard, of Goodwater, Ala., made his definite mark on the first inaugural CEBL season, being named 2019 CEBL Player of the Year and on the First Team All-Star. Moon ranked second in the league in scoring, in steals and in three-point field goal percentage, and third in assists. He led the Stingers in nearly every major statistical category, becoming the top scorer (19.3), top assister (5.7) and top in steals (2.2). Moon also topped the team’s game board in points six times, assists eight times, and steals on nine occasions. This season, while playing for the London Lightning of the NBL, he’s averaging 20 points and 40 minutes per game.

Did you know? Tried out with the Raptors 905 this past October.

Jordan Baker, Edmonton Stingers, 28 (Shooting guard/forward)

What you need to know: Named to the CEBL Second All-Star team , the six-foot-seven Edmontonian finished as the league’s’ top rebounder (9.1). The league also nominated him as one the finalists for the CEBL Canadian Player of the Year, averaging 13.9 points and league-best 9.3 rebounds in 16 games. The Stingers’ captain took the team’s top spot for blocks (0.7), second for assists (3.9), third for scoring (13.9) and fourth for field goal percentage (49.2). Currently, the assistant coach of the University of Alberta Golden Bear Basketball team, he’s one of their most decorated players/bears of all time. Baker became the Golden Bears’ all-time conference scoring leader in 2014, and was twice named a CIS first team all‑Canadian (both in both 2011-12 and 2013-14).

Did you know? Will be competing for Team Edmonton, one of the 3×3 teams that hope to represent Canada at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Played in the 2011 Pan Am Games, where Canada placed sixth under the new Ottawa BlackJacks’ coach Dave Smart.

Olu Famutimi, Guelph Nighthawks, 35 (Guard)

What you need to know: A great veteran of the game who could pose a tough threat, offensively and defensively. At the end of the CEBL season, Famutimi took to the league’s scoreboard as its top-fourth scorer (41.9) and 3-points made (54). The six‑foot‑five Toronto-native led the Nighthawks in steals (1.6) and 3-points made (54), shared the second spot in blocks with Connor Wood (0.5), top-second in 3-point percentage (41.9), top-third in scoring (15.1) top-fifth in assists (2.4), rebounds (4.8) and field goal percentage (45.1). Represented Canada at the FIBA World Championships 2019. He played two seasons at the University of Arkansas, where he earned All‑Southeastern Conference Freshman honours. Over seven years playing professionally in Europe: Khimik Yuzhne ( Ukraine ), Oyak Renault and TED Ankara Kolejliler (Turkey), Paris-Levallois Basket ( France ) and Düsseldorf Giants ( Germany ).

Did you know? Highly touted as a high school player, and in the beginning of college, before heartbreakingly tearing his ACL ahead of his senior season at UARK.

Connor Wood, Guelph Nighthawks, 26 (Guard)

What you need to know: The six-foot-four guard, and native of Guelph, finished the season as CEBL’s 3-point percentage leader (45.7). He put his finishing touch on the Nighthawks’ leaderboard as well, sitting second in steals (1.2), 3-points made (37) and blocks (0.5, a spot he shares with Olu Famutimi), third for assists (3.7) and fourth for field goal percentage (48.2). Wood previously played for the Niagara River Lions, while they were in the NBL. He’s currently with the Rio Ourense Termal in the Spanish league , averaging 15.8 points per game. In the 2018-19 season, he did stints in the French (Quimper UJAP) as well as the German league (Uni Baskets Paderborn).

Did you know? During his five years playing for the Carleton University Ravens, 2013-17, the team won CIS five consecutive times. Awarded CIS Tournament MVP in 2016, and U SPORTS Player of the Year in 2017. Also participated in the 2017 World University games in Taipei, Taiwan where Kyle Julius , the current general manager and head coach of the Fraser Valley Bandits, coached Team Canada.

Michale Kyser, Guelph Nighthawks, 28 (Forward/Center)

What you need to know: The six-foot-ten American (from Victoria, Texas) only played in six games for the Nighthawks last season but averaged 6.2 blocks per game as well as starting every game he played in. In 2015, after going undrafted in the NBA Draft, Kyser joined the Toronto Raptors for the 2015 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. He appeared in four games, averaging 3.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 14.6 minutes, and on July 23, the Raptors signed him. But after playing in one preseason game, the team waived him on Oct. 24. While playing for Kymis of the Greek Basket League during the 2017-18 season, Kyser became the league’s leader in blocks (1.9).

Did you know? Kyser is the all-time blocks leader at Louisiana Tech University, with a total of 363 total blocks. Both as a junior, and senior, he was an All-Defensive player in the C-USA.

Tyrell Corbin, Guelph Nighthawks, 27 (Point guard)

What you need to know: The six-foot-one American (from Columbia, S.C.) has the game in his blood. His dad is Ty Corbin, the current assistant coach of Orlando Magic in the NBA (and former head coach of Utah Jazz). Almost seven inches shorter than his father, Tyrell’s work ethic has seen him emerge as an explosive, dangerous point guard. While in university, he guarded for University of California, Davis; Salt Lake Community College and California State University. For the Nighthawks, Corbin averaged 11.3 points, 2.5 assists and 1.7 rebounds and 19 minutes in six games. Played in the 2017 the NBA Summer League with the Charlotte Hornets (where players included Miles Bridges, Devonte Graham and Malik Monk). That same year, he played with Canadian Anthony Bennett (and first overall NBA Draft pick 2013), for the Phoenix Suns in the NBA G League.

Did you know? Honored as the 2011 Deseret News Mr. Basketball recipient , following his high school graduation.

Demetrius Denzel-Dyson, Hamilton Honey Badgers, 24 (Guard)

What you need to know: At the end of the CEBL season, Denzel-Dyson sat on top of the Honey Badgers’ leaderboard, and second on the league’s, for 3 points made (59). The six‑foot‑five guard (of Covington, TN) also made the top three in rebounds and assists. He averaged 18.1 points per game (as Hamilton’s second best scorer) and led his team in minutes per game, utilizing his length and athleticism. The American had the same solid track record while playing college basketball at Samford University (a Samford Bulldogs’ fan nicknamed him “ 3D ”), where he averaged and led his team in minutes per game. In his junior year (2016-17), he shot 46 per cent from the 3-point range, and 49.5 per cent from field, scoring a team-high of 580 points. Denzel-Dyson’s total score was the seventh highest in Samford basketball history.

Did you know? As a Samford senior, he was one of ten players named to the Preseason All-Southern Conference Team, voted by the league’s head coaches.

Ryan Anderson, Niagara River Lions, 32 (Guard)

What you need to know: The six-foot-four West Coast-guard (Seattle, Wash.) finished third for the league in steals (1.9), and second for the Rivers Lions in scoring (14.1), fourth in assists (3.5), fifth in rebounds (4.3) and fifth in shooting percentage (41.8 per cent). And this just coming off the bench, with no single start in 21 games. Anderson became a four-year standout at University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he put his name in the record books. In his senior season, he led the team in scoring, steals, rebounds and 3-pointers. He’s also known as one of the top three-point shooters in NBL history, his strengths including excellent offence and passing. In 2019, Anderson reached second in total points scored in NBL history. In 2015, he was part of the Windsor Express team that won an NBL of Canada title, and then won back-to-back in 2017 and 2018 with the London Lightning.

Did you know? 2016-17 was his best season to date, where Anderson set the record for most 3-pointers hit in a single game (13), was named First-team All NBL Canada, and ended the championship-winning season with being named Finals MVP.

Guillaume Boucard, Niagara River Lions, 29 (Forward)

What you need to know: Named CEBL Canadian Player of the Year , and to the CEBL First All-Star Team. The six-foot-six forward, from Montreal, led the Niagara River Lions in scoring (16.1), offensive rebounding (2.0) and minutes (31.0), while making and taking the most field goals (111-223) and free throws (81-113). One of seven River Lions to compete in all 20 games during the inaugural CEBL season. The team was +142 when Boucard was on the court, tops in the CEBL. Led Niagara in scoring six times and rebounds on ten occasions. The 2018 season, Boucard played with Island Storm, averaging 19.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 4.9 APG on 43 per cent from the field, and 28 per cent from the three-point line in 26 games. It earned him Canadian of the Year.

Did you know? Played five seasons with Carleton University Ravens, from 2011-16, winning five straight national championships. Named to the National Championship Tournament All‑Star Team in his senior season.

Dorian Pinson, Niagara River Lions, 23 (Guard)

What you need to know: In his rookie year in the CEBL, the six-foot-five American (Greenville, S.C.) recorded the CEBL’s first ever triple-double on May 24, 2019 in a 108-91 win on the road against the Saskatchewan Rattlers. For the River Lions, Pinson finished first in rebounds (7.6), second in steals (1.7), second in field goal percentage (58.3), and second in minutes played (29) in 21 games. Combining speed with size, Pinson continues to improve year after year. He spent four years at Lincoln Memorial University. As a freshman, he scored 5.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 1.0 APG on 47 per cent shooting from the field, and 28 per cent shooting from behind the three-point line in 17 minutes a night. In his senior year, he averaged 15.5 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 4.2 APG while shooting an unbelievable 59 per cent from the field and 43 per cent from deep.

Did you know? Currently plays as a starter for Ramat Hasharon in the Israel-National League.

Sam Muldrow, Niagara River Lions, 31 (Forward)

What you need to know: Received CEBL Defensive Player of the Year honours, and named to the CEBL First All-Star Team. The six-foot-ten forward (of Florence, S.C.) averaged 10.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and a league-best 2.1 blocks, having played in all 20 games for the River Lions during the inaugural season. He registered a CEBL-record of eight blocks on July 20, 2019 against the Fraser Valley Bandits. Niagara opponents shot just .433 from the field during the 2019 campaign, the lowest mark in the league. Played four seasons for University of South Carolina, where he averaged 3.28 blocks per game in his final two years.

Did you know? Technically, he has played for the River Lions for four consecutive seasons, as he spent three with them while they were in the NBL (one of the longest tenured players on a single team).

What are your thoughts? Who would you like to see featured on this list of top protected players? Let us know via social media: Instagram , Twitter and Facebook.

And don't miss our first feature on free agency, where we cover the top free agents from the 2019 CEBL season.