Around the World: David Singleton and K.J. Smith bring international touch to Bandits coaching staff
By Contributing Bandits Writer: Grant Vassos • August 5, 2020
David Singleton never imagined it would happen this way. He was working as the assistant boys varsity basketball coach at his high school alma mater, Salesian College Preparatory, in Richmond, Calif., after helping his team to the 2014 CIF Northern California Division IV finals. That's when he received a phone call from Tim Fanning, the newest head coach of the Nelson Giants, a men’s professional basketball team in New Zealand's National Basketball League (NBL).
Fanning, a family friend and mentor to Singleton, asked the Oakland, Calif., native if he wanted to join him as an assistant coach for the upcoming 2015-16 season. He gladly accepted the offer. At 26-years-old, it became Singleton's first real breakthrough in a coaching journey that has since taken him internationally, and most recently, to the Fraser Valley Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL).
"Basketball wasn't truly on my radar," said Singleton, who played NCAA Division II football at Tiffin University in Ohio. “It wasn't that I ever gave it up. I always missed the game, and I always thought maybe what could have been if I kept playing and things of that nature. But I always had a calling towards it."
Following a one-year stint with the Giants, Singleton went on to coach professionally in Vietnam for four seasons in the Vietnam Basketball League (VBL) and the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) before coaching in Indonesia. Along with learning under former British national men's basketball head coach Tony Garbaletto, Singleton's time overseas as the lead assistant to then Saigon Heat head coach, and now Bandits bench boss, Kyle Julius was enlightening for the young coach.
Singleton says today's game is moving towards a more European, high scoring style. Out is the old-school era of mid-range jumpers, getting into the post, and relying on point guards to run plays through.
Now, the focus has turned to pace and space, spreading out the floor to create mismatches, fast transitions, high shooting efficiency, and strong defense – which Singleton prides himself on having.
"The last two years I was in Vietnam, we were number one in defense in the league. And so that's another part of it. If you're able to get up and down and shoot the ball and play fast, it's a great thing. But at the same time, you also got to defend, and you got to defend to win." Singleton said.
K.J. Smith, an advanced scout for the Bandits, grew up in a basketball-minded family with close generational ties like Singleton. As the eighth coach of a family lineage extending from the high school level to the WNBA, the San Ramon, Calif., native grew up listening to strategies and philosophies of his older family members.
It was about the individual player: a pattern of figuring out their tendencies on the court, which direction they prefer to go in specific situations, and even their particular go-to move.
"There's certain things that all teams have consistent within their philosophy, it's kind of like a fingerprint, and certain aspects of that fingerprint can't change no matter how much you try to coach it away," Smith said.
Always the observer, Smith continues to learn from watching his younger brother and cousins, three of which currently play Division I basketball. It was his grandfather, however, who helped shape Smith's perspective when he was in high school. The former Milwaukee Buck taught Smith the value of the mindset and character needed to drive the talent on his team.
"He was always a big proponent of if you have this really, really fast, high-speed car and it's not the right engine or not the right fuel; it doesn't really matter how good the car is," Smith said.
The 2018-19 season was Smith's first year as an assistant coach for Brazilian basketball club Basquete Unifacisa of Novo Basquete Brasil (NBB), helping the team win its first Liga Ouro (second division) championship. He learned how to be open-minded to every possibility and how to communicate with players when he had no prior knowledge of speaking Portuguese. Singleton faced similar barriers coaching in Asia where he had to be aware of how people operated in a different culture, and which players could handle more criticism from coaches.
For the last three months, Smith has been in Brazil communicating with Singleton and the Bandits in preparation for the CEBL Summer Series and has continued to scout and analyze opposing teams throughout the Summer Series. Although there's no substitute for being in the gym where he can feel his players' presence and body language, according to Smith, his advantage comes from being able to watch games more closely from the outside.
Prior to the start of the CEBL Summer Series, Singleton and Smith spent the past month watching how teams in The Basketball Tournament (TBT) adjusted to the new Elam Ending rule. And have had "at least five to six different calls about it" with the rest of the Bandits coaching staff about strategy and recreating game situations in practice.
The rule is a new addition to the CEBL, where the winning team adds nine points to their score during the first stoppage of play in the final four minutes of the game. To emerge victorious, it is a battle of whichever team reaches the target score.
In 2018, Smith posted an article via Medium outlining the importance of practicing daily late-game scenarios – such as being down six points with one timeout and three minutes remaining – and conditioning players to execute clutch basketball while under pressure.
"You're entering a situation where it's almost a new game after that four-minute mark," Smith said. "So really being able to prepare and learn from the mistakes of others and their situations is invaluable."
In a shortened season where every game ends on a shot, scouting and coaching are vital. The pay-off from Smith and Singleton's expertise, and how it applies to coach Julius' system in a Canadian basketball environment may significantly determine who walks away with the Championship come Aug. 9.
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A season-high 25 points from Shamar Givance wasn’t enough as the Vancouver Bandits came up short in the final road game of the season. The Montreal Alliance defeated the Bandits 87-82 on Tuesday night, a game where three Bandits recorded their highest point totals of the season. Along with his 25 points, Givance also added eight rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes of action. “He was the definition of a warrior tonight,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Givance, who came off the bench, took a bulk of the guard minutes after leading scorer Jarkel Joiner exited the game in the first half. “He picked up 94 feet and he went over every screen. It’s commendable. That’s why we brought Shamar here for the effort he gives,” said Brempong. Stephen Zimmerman in just his second game with Vancouver recorded 13 points and six rebounds. Jarrell Eddie scored a season-high 17 points and notched his first double-double of the season with 10 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. “Certain guys were thrust into positions they’re not normally in and that’s growth,” said Brempong. Both teams struggled offensively, particularly outside the paint, but what they lacked in offence was made up by their defence. The Bandits shot 9-33 from beyond the arc, and the Alliance cashed in on just 11 of the 32 three point opportunities. The Bandits recorded seven blocks and six steals, while the Alliance recorded four blocks and six steals. Montreal native Tyrese Samuel recorded 16 points, nine rebounds and two blocks. He played just 22 minutes after picking up two early fouls in the first quarter. No Canadian player has scored more points than Tyrese Samuel’s 358 points this season. Neither team separated themselves as the game stayed close for all four quarters. The largest lead of the game was eight, which belonged to Montreal. Vancouver exploded in the third quarter and outscored Montreal 27-17, yet their scoring wouldn’t translate to the fourth quarter. The Bandits offence lacked consistency all night, scoring just 16 points in the final frame. Quincy Guerrier led the Alliance with 26 points and seven rebounds. The Bandits will head home for the final game of the regular season against the Winnipeg Sea Bears. The Bandits (14-9) currently sit top of the Western Conference while the Sea Bears (13-10) sit in second place. “The mission is still the same.”
Five players were in double figures as the Vancouver Bandits defeated the Saskatoon Mamba 104-97 on Saturday night. The Bandits led for the entirety of the game, leading by as many as 17 points. Vancouver now sits atop of the Western Conference at 14-8, topping the Winnipeg Sea Bears (13-9). This win also secured home court advantage in the playoffs for the Bandits, who will officially begin the postseason on Thursday, August 6 at 7:00 p.m. at Envision Financial Court at Langley Events Centre. Tevin Brown led the Bandits in scoring with 23 points and seven three pointers made. “My teammates did a good job of getting me open,” said Brown. “They just let me play my game. (We) play a fast-paced offence and that’s where I thrive.” James Karnik followed with 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Bandits jumped out to an early 31-15 lead as Brown scored 11 of his 23 points in the first quarter. The Mamba went on a 29-21 run in the second quarter to cut the lead to 52-44 by halftime. Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong applauded his team for their resilience in the wire-to-wire win, even as the lead dwindled. “They might fight back but (we) still have to stay aggressive,” said Brempong. “Credit to Saskatoon. They made their run, but I’m more proud of the team and the resilience they’ve shown during the last handful of games.” All 11 players who played tonight recorded a made basket. Former NBA draft pick Stephen Zimmerman made his Bandits debut, recording two points and four rebounds in just three minutes of action. “It’s going to take everybody. Whether you come off the bench, I don’t care. Be strong enough that you affect the game and you impact winning,” said Brempong. Brempong said the Bandits are still bought into the mentality of being “on the hunt”, despite being first in the Western Conference. Brempong also said they can’t take their recent success for granted. “Don’t let it lull you to sleep. You still have to stay sharp,” he said. A layup from Shamar Givance won the game for the Bandits in target time. He finished with nine points and eight assists. Next, the Bandits will head on the road for a matchup with the Montreal Alliance on Tuesday, before wrapping up the season at home against the Winnipeg Sea Bears.
The Vancouver Bandits announced Friday that the club has signed former NBA draft selection and decorated overseas champion Stephen Zimmerman for the remainder of the 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season. A 7-foot centre hailing from Las Vegas, Nev., Zimmerman was selected 41st overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2016 NBA Draft and appeared in 19 games as a rookie. With the signing, Zimmerman becomes the first-ever NBA draft selection to sign with the Bandits. “Zimmerman brings additional size to our team and experience from the highest levels of the game around the world,” said Bandits general manager Kyle Julius. “His signing is part of our strategic plan to ensure we have a strong roster to compete in the CEBL playoffs.” A veteran of 10 professional seasons, Zimmerman most recently played for Gigantes de San Francisco in the Dominican Republic during the 2025-26 season where he helped lead the club to a Dominican LNB championship. He also earned championships in the Czech Republic, guiding ERA Nymburk to both a Czech Cup and Czech NBL title in 2021. His journeyman career overseas includes previous stops in Germany, Poland, Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Malaysia and China. In addition, Zimmerman played parts of four NBA G League seasons with the Orlando Magic’s affiliate (Erie Bayhawks, now Osceola Magic) in 2016-17, the Los Angeles Lakers’ affiliate (South Bay Lakers) in 2017-18, the New York Knicks’ affiliate (Westchester Knicks) in 2018-19, and San Antonio Spurs’ affiliate (Austin Spurs) in 2022-23. Internationally, Zimmerman represents the United States. He competed for his country at the senior level at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup and 2019 FIBA World Cup Qualifiers, and won a gold medal at the 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in 2014. Before playing professionally, Zimmerman played one season of NCAA DI basketball for the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). As a freshman, he started 24 of 26 games played and averaged 26.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocked shots per game while shooting .477 per cent from the field.
WINNIPEG, MB - July 23, 2026 - The Vancouver Bandits are back in the win column after a second half comeback against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on Thursday night. The Bandits defeated the Sea Bears 92-77 to take them atop of the Western Conference, now tied with the Sea Bears at 13-8. “For the past two years, we’ve been in first place and we’ve been hunted. We’re the hunters this time around,” said Bandits head coach Ransford Brempong. Vancouver trailed for most of the game, and by as many as 14 points, before exploding in the final 20 minutes of the game. The Bandits shot just one-for-seven from three point range in the first half. “We’ll make mistakes but keep the game close and see if we can steal it, which is what we did.” Vancouver’s defence stepped up in the second half, holding Winnipeg’s best stars to a rough shooting night. Isiah Osborne, who averages 12.9 points, was held to four points on two-for-eight field goal shooting, while Emmanuel Akot made just one field goal for four points. CEBL scoring leader Teddy Allen scored 26 points, but he took 22 shots to do it and committed four turnovers. Jarkel Joiner’s 24 points once again led the Bandits. He also recorded three assists and two steals. “He’s quick and he’s strong,” said Sea Bears head coach Mike Raimbault about Jarkel Joiner. Joiner said there’s a “fight” within the team, especially with a close schedule remaining. “We know we’re fighting for homecourt advantage,” he said Bremprong praised the Bandits for sticking together in an unorthodox season. “This team is extremely resilient,” said Brempong about the Bandits’ second comeback win in three games. “The year has already thrown punches. We got thrown into the fire, but the fire is also a place where iron gets sharpened.” The paint was dominated by the Bandits as they scored 62 of their 92 points in the paint, including countless ferocious dunks from Tyrese Samuel and James Karnik. Rookie big man Dominic Parolin also poured in seven points, eight rebounds and two steals in 24 minutes of action. “We got those guys because they’re big boys and they’re Canadian,” said Brempong. Tied at 70 heading into the fourth, Tevin Brown was the answer Vancouver needed, scoring 10 of his 12 points in the final frame. Brown’s play catapulted a 22-7 scoring run in the fourth quarter to clinch the win. A putback layup by Karnik was the game winner. He finished with a season-high 17 points and season-high 12 rebounds. “To slay a Sea Bear isn't easy,” said Brempong. The Bandits will return home for a quick one game home stand on Saturday against the Saskatoon Mamba at 6 p.m. Tickets can be found at thebandits.ca . “Every game is a new challenge.”
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