Vancouver Re-Signs Canadian Player of the Year Samuel
Reigning Canadian Player of the Year returns after a record-setting debut season in Vancouver.

The Vancouver Bandits announced that reigning Canadian Player of the Year Tyrese Samuel has re-signed with the club for the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League season.
Making an immediate impact during his debut CEBL campaign in 2025, Samuel led all players league-wide in field goal percentage (65.9) while finishing top three on the Bandits in points (21.7) and rebounds per game (10.8) in 15 games played. He broke the club’s single-game scoring record during his CEBL debut on May 15, 2025 recording 36 points along with 12 rebounds, and was named CEBL Player of the Week on August 11, 2025.
“We’ve got some unfinished business to take care of,” said Samuel.
The 6-foot-10, Montréal, Que. product capped off his dominant season by being named Canadian Player of the Year and a Second Team All-CEBL selection at the
2025 CEBL Awards. His stellar play also earned him a
roster spot with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2025 NBA Summer League and an
Exhibit 10 contract with the Phoenix Suns during 2026 NBA training camp.
“We are all very excited that we get another chance to work with Tyrese, he is a special player and an even better person. Tyrese is one of the best Canadians to ever play in our league and we are looking forward to building our roster around him,” said head coach and general manager Kyle Julius.
The 25-year-old forward has spent the 2025-26 season with the Phoenix Suns’ NBA G League affiliate, Valley Suns, where he has appeared in 24 games and logged 8.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.2 minutes played.
A top Canadian prospect while in university, Samuel played four seasons at Seton Hall University from 2019 to 2023 before transferring to the University of Florida for his graduate year, where he earned Second Team All-SEC honours.
Internationally, Samuel has represented Canada on two occasions, earning a silver medal at the 2018 FIBA U18 AmeriCup and appearing in the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup.
The Bandits open the 2026 CEBL season on Thursday, May 14 on the road in Saskatchewan before coming home for two exciting matchups as part of 2026 Home Opener Weekend at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre.
The club will host the Edmonton Stingers on Friday, May 22 at 7:00 p.m. PT before facing the Calgary Surge on Sunday, May 24 at 5:00 p.m. PT in a rematch of the 2025 CEBL Western Conference Quarterfinal. Fans can take advantage of a special Home Opener Weekend ticket offer; buy three tickets to either or both games and receive an additional ticket for free. Tickets for the Bandits’ Home Opener Weekend, and additional 2026 ticket options, can be purchased here.
All CEBL regular season games including playoffs will be live-streamed on the CEBL’s OTT platform, CEBL+, and on CEBL Mobile, the official app of the CEBL (available on Android and iOS devices). The schedule of nationally televised games, along with broadcast and streaming information will be announced at a later date.
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:
Justin Sulpico, Senior Manager, Content & Communications, (604) 626-8513, [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 Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre (LEC), while also being committed to growing the game of basketball by fostering meaningful community connections through youth programming, events, and partnerships.








