One of the busiest weeks in CEBL Free Agency has just wrapped up. We’ve seen 11 signings, with the Saskatoon Mamba finally getting on the board. There are just twelve days until the beginning of training camps for all organizations and the surge of players acquisitions will continue to intensify. Here are the moves for the week of the 18th.

Devonté Bandoo

To clean up a bit of business from late last week, the Mamba’s all-time leading scorer returns to their roster. Bandoo joined the Edmonton Stingers at the start of 2025, only to lose his role and be released. He was immediately snatched up by Saskatoon where he was instantly one of their best players. His long range shooting is what sets him apart, hitting around 43% of his three during his time in the CEBL. He’ll grab you a few rebounds, along with a couple of assists. Bandoo is a high character guy that should set the tone for the new era in the Prairies.

Tegra Izay

Now to get into this week’s business. We start with new Honey Badgers signee Izay. The CEBL will be his first professional opportunity, after spending six seasons in the US. His numbers do not jump off the page, but he is a high motor traditional big. He will have many mentors around him to show him that he can carve a roll professionally. Not sure how much time he gets this season, but certainly is young and intriguing.

Tre King

A move that I’m quite intrigued in seeing how it pans out is the Stingers bringing in King. The six foot seven forward has spent the last two seasons in the G-League and 2026 with the Austin Spurs. He’s historically been a great finisher around the rim, thanks to his strength and athleticism. He also has the ability to step out and hit threes. His rebounding is solid as well and can take advantage on defence to grab some steals with his length. King’s time in the G-League since he turned pro has not been what he’d hoped, but this opportunity with Edmonton might be what he needs.

Jaden Bediako

One of my favourite Canadian big men return to the CEBL for 2026. Coming into his third season, Bediako is one of, if not the best rim protectors in the league. Last season he averaged 2.2 blocks, which was best of all players who participated in 10 games. His finishing around the rim has been historically better than it was last summer, so I expect a bounce back. He rebounds at such a high level, but struggles as a shooter. He should be a big contributor to the Mamba again this summer, where I predict a breakout season.

Matthew Cleveland

A signing that certainly caught my attention was the BlackJacks bringing in Matthew Cleveland. I was a huge fan of his at the University of Miami and felt he should have been drafted last summer during the NBA draft. He is a great scorer that can do it at all three levels, with or without the ball. The athleticism he displays is good for his size. His defensive play and rebounding are fantastic for the position he plays. Speaking of position, he is flexible to play the two, three, and the four. Cleveland is so versatile on both ends of the floor that he can make a difference on so many fronts. If he can acclimate to the CEBL, he could really be a force. If he sticks around.

Evan Gilyard II

One of last seasons most fun players to watch was Evan Gilyard, who returns to the Calgary Surge. While he may have not been the most efficient scorers, Gilyard was a flamethrower waiting to happen. He has logo range, willing to pull up from anywhere on the floor. He was also an underrated playmaker, having the ability to find his teammates when the other team turned their whole attention onto him. His speed and quickness are hard to match, which combines with his tight ball handling. Big piece for the Surge to have return if they want to run it back to the championship.

Tony Carr

The Montreal Alliance made a statement bringing in Tony Carr as their potential starting point guard. Having last played in the CEBL during the 2022 season, he was a force to be reckoned with. That summer he was an All-CEBL First Team member, scoring at a great rate, rebounding well, and showing off his fantastic passing skills. Carr holds only one of six triple doubles in league history. He certainly knows how to fill up the box score, and his height at six foot five definitely helps. We’ll see if that 2022 form can return and help Montreal.

Cole Long

Another player making their return to the CEBL is Cole Long. He had a very short stint in 2022, which did propel him to other opportunities in Europe. He is a stretch big who can shoot the ball from deep at a very high level. He is a little versatile as well, being able to player the three and the four. He does have an advantage at the four, having the ability to put the ball on the floor. His rebounding and defence as subpar, but he will make a difference with his high level shooting. My belief is that he comes off the bench and is their flamethrower.

Tevian Jones

The Vancouver Bandits acquire a player with CEBL experience and skilled scoring ability in Jones. He returns after playing last season for both the Winnipeg Sea Bears and Saskatoon Mamba. The efficiency as a scorer has not been there as a professional, unlike it was in college, despite having a deep bag of tricks. He rebounds below average, but can get his teammates involved surprisingly well. Jones also catches many players off-guard by being really good in the passing lanes. I can definitely see this working out for Vancouver if they use him as their third scorer next to Mychal Mulder and Tyrese Samuel.

Cyril Martynov

The Ottawa BlackJacks bring in young Canadian big man Martynov, who’s looking at his first professional opportunity. This past season he started at Fairleigh Dickinson, scoring eight points and five rebounds. His ability to score inside was good, which will be his calling card early on. Not sure how much he plays, but certainly could see him developing and returning in future years.

Tajh Green

The Brampton Honey Badgers bring in a versatile forward in Green. This will be his first run at the CEBL, after four seasons professionally overseas. He has shown to be a Swiss army knife, with the ability to do many different things on the floor. He can score inside, shoot the ball well on limited attempts, and rebound at a decent rate. He has a high motor and plays very hard. Curious to see how he adjusts to the CEBL and if he can make an impact.

Javonté Brown

One of the better young Canadian bigs, Brown, returns to the Calgary Surge. While only starting one game last season, his impact was certainly felt. One of the best inside finishers statistically in 2025, he makes his impact felt inside the paint on both ends. His rebounding and rim protection show signs on being on another level if he continues to develop. The possibility of a breakout this summer could be inevitable if he gets increased playing time.

CEBL Training Camp begins on April 30th, while the 2026 season starts on May 9th, with the Winnipeg Sea Bears taking on the Edmonton Stingers.