Another week has gone by as we inch closer to the return of CEBL basketball. Another four teams were active in the Free Agent market, with the Niagara River Lions and Edmonton Stingers once again doing work. Of the four new players in this Free Agency class, two of them are returning for another year in the league. Let’s get into the signings for the week of the 28th.

Mason Bourcier

Bourcier re-signs with the Stingers for a second year and sixth year overall in the CEBL. It was a hectic 2025 for him as he had initially signed with the Winnipeg Sea Bears, only to ask for his release after a decreased role from the previous season. He spent the remainder of the year with the Stingers, where his role was simple. Defend and hit open shots. He has potential to be a very good guard that can play at a fast pace and find his teammates if given more of a leash. I would safely assume he plays a similar role for coach Jordan Baker in 2026.

JD Muila

One of the newcomers to the CEBL, Muila is a third year Canadian pro who might finally get his first taste of the league after being signed and waived by the Ottawa BlackJacks two years ago. Here is what I had to say about him in Free Agency 2024:

“Muila is an inside bruiser who scores in the post with a multitude of moves and is a good rebounder in the paint. He is a non-shooter who also struggles at the foul line.”

Niagara, that plays with more traditional bigs like Elijah Lufile, should be a better opportunity for Muila to see the floor. Let’s find out if he makes his CEBL debut this summer.

Simon Hildebrandt

Winnipeggers have been asking if this was ever going to be a possibility and it’s now come to fruition. Hildebrandt returns after spending the last two years in the NCAA and not being eligible for the CEBL. It was certainly an up and down journey down south that saw him make two stops at High Point and Washington State University. The Sea Bears are hoping that his form returns to what we saw in his time at the University of Manitoba and first two years in the league. Hildebrandt is a forward that likes to shoot the ball from the outside, with the ability to dribble and drive to the hoop. Interested to see how he re-acclimatizes to FIBA.

Mychal Mulder

This was not a name I was expecting to see join the CEBL in 2026. Mulder is a Canadian guard with a good amount of NBA experience, having played for the Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, and Miami Heat. He last played in the G-League for the Capital City Go-Go during the 2023-2024 season. Mulder is your prototypical “3 and D” guard that takes care of the basketball and is fundamentally sound. His role with the Vancouver Bandits may be bigger than we’ve seen since his first few years in the G-League, but I am excited to see how well he works next to fellow Canadian Tyrese Samuel.