FRASER VALLEY BANDITS RE-SIGN KYLE JULIUS AS HEAD COACH AND GENERAL MANAGER FOR THE UPCOMING 2021 CANADIAN ELITE BASKETBALL LEAGUE SEASON
Bandits Staff • November 18, 2020
Fraser Valley inks Kyle Julius as head coach and general manager following a CEBL season that saw Julius lead the Bandits to the finals and a top ranking in several statistical categories.
ABBOTSFORD, BC, November 18, 2020 –
The Fraser Valley Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced Wednesday that the club has re-signed head coach and general manager, Kyle Julius, for its upcoming 2021 season. A decorated coach with a history of regular and postseason success with various domestic and international teams, Julius joined the Bandits in December 2019 and led the club to a second-place regular season finish and a championship berth at the CEBL Summer Series.
Julius is currently in his second season of coaching the Formosa Dreamers, a Taiwan-based professional basketball team in the P.LEAGUE+. Julius joined the Dreamers in 2019 after three successful seasons with the Saigon Heat that saw the club qualify for its first-ever postseason. Julius left the Heat as the all-time winningest coach in team history.
In his first season with the Bandits, Julius coached Fraser Valley to be leaders in various regular and postseason statistical categories. The Bandits led the CEBL in point differential (+7) and placed second in points (87.7) and steals per game (10).
“My family and I are absolutely thrilled to have another opportunity to work for the Fraser Valley Bandits organization and the CEBL. I am extremely proud of the foundation we laid last season and I can’t wait to continue to build our grit and grind culture with the great front office and our amazing fans in B.C. It means the world to me to be able to coach in Canada during the offseason and I can’t wait to get back to work with the core group from last season,” Julius said.
Julius implemented an up-tempo and aggressive style of play that allowed the Bandits to fluster opponents and overcome deficits. Despite Fraser Valley’s roster featuring no player taller than 6-foot-7, the Bandits achieved history as the club reversed a 4-16 last place finish in 2019 and surprised skeptics by finishing the CEBL Summer Series with a 4-2 regular season and 1-1 postseason record. Although the Bandits finished as runners-up to the league champions, the Edmonton Stingers, the Bandits wrote their own chapter in the history books on two separate occasions. The Bandits held the River Lions to the lowest points scored in a CEBL game (57) on Aug. 2 and recorded the largest fourth quarter comeback in CEBL postseason history when the Bandits overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat the Hamilton Honey Badgers 76-75 to advance to the CEBL championship.
“I’m honoured to welcome Kyle back for another season with the Fraser Valley Bandits. Kyle brings a family-first approach to coaching and player development. In his first season with our club, it became clear that he was intent on building a foundation of success and instilling a culture of dedication and professionalism throughout our roster,” Bandits vice president Dylan Kular said.
“The CEBL Summer Series was an exciting chapter in our organization’s history and we look forward to supporting Kyle as he develops the blueprint for our 2021 campaign.”
Fraser Valley’s 2020 roster consisted of several veterans of Canada’s senior men’s national team program, as well as past NCAA stars. Former Oregon Duck and Creighton Bluejay Olu Ashaolu and Jahenns Manigat, respectively, were named to the All-CEBL Second team as part of a cast of Bandits that earned a reputation for being stingy on defence and potent on offence.
A native of Thunder Bay, Ont., Julius is the son of former Lakehead University women’s basketball head coach and athletic director Stu Julius. Julius played NCAA Division I basketball at Furman University before finishing his university career at the University of Guelph where he was recognized as a U SPORTS (formerly known as Canadian Interuniversity Sport) All-Canadian. Julius enjoyed a solid professional career as a player, including a stint in 2004-05 with Sedima Roseto, which at the time was a team in Italy’s highest division of men’s professional basketball, Lega Basket Serie A (LBA).
Throughout his coaching career Julius has earned a track record of success, a stellar reputation as a skills coach and is known for his strong ability to build close relationships with players. Julius began his coaching career with the Mississauga Power in 2014 and later joined the London Lightning where he won his first title as a professional coach and earned coach of the year honours in 2016-17 after leading the Lighting to a championship and the best regular season record in league history (35-5).
The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021 following the success of this past year's Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ont., which saw a record 1.2 million viewers across Canada tune in to four days of live television programming on CBC.
A league created by Canadians for Canadians, the CEBL has the highest percentage of Canadian players of any professional league in the country, with 80 percent of its current rosters being Canadians. Players come from the NBA G League, top international leagues, the Canadian National team program, and top NCAA programs as well as U SPORTS. The only First Division Professional League Partner of Canada Basketball, the CEBL season typically runs from May through August. More information is available at www.cebl.ca.
###
For media inquiries, please contact:
Andrew Savory, Director of Operations, (604) 217-6213, asavory@thebandits.ca
About the Fraser Valley Bandits
The Fraser Valley Bandits are British Columbia’s professional basketball team. As the westernmost club in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL), the club is proud to call Abbotsford Centre home. The Bandits offer a riveting 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. PerfectLens, a Vancouver-based contact lens supplier, is the official presenting partner of the Bandits’ 2021 season. Head to thebandits.ca for more information.
LATEST NEWS
The Vancouver Bandits, BC’s professional basketball team, hosted a youth basketball camp on Wednesday, September 9 in Williams Lake, in partnership with the Indigenous Sport, Physical Activity & Recreation Council (I∙SPARC) and FortisBC. The Bandits welcomed over 40 local athletes and their families to the camp, with the main goal of building confidence, inspiring young athletes, and bringing youth sports development and mentorship to athletes across the province. Held at Lake City Secondary, the camp marked the first community visit by BC’s professional basketball team to the Cariboo region, bringing more basketball to more people across our province. “Community is a core pillar of the Bandits organization, and we are proud to host camps and opportunities that help shape and inspire the next generation of players and leaders,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “Thank you to our partners at I∙SPARC and FortisBC for their support in bringing this camp to fruition, and to the Williams Lake basketball community for welcoming our team this week.” "We're proud to support opportunities that help young people build confidence, strengthen their skills and create lasting connections," said Janet Devaney, senior manager, community & Indigenous initiatives at FortisBC. "Through initiatives like this basketball camp, Indigenous youth can connect with peers and mentors, develop new skills and experience the positive impact that sport can have on confidence, leadership and a sense of belonging.” The free-of-charge camp was part of the Indigenous Basketball Collective, representing the ongoing collaboration between I∙SPARC and the Vancouver Bandits. Established in 2023, ongoing and past projects through the Collective include camps and clinics for Indigenous youth and coaches, building new basketball courts in Indigenous communities, and hosting the 2026 Junior All Native Basketball Tournament.
Vancouver Bandits guard Jarkel Joiner has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Charlotte Hornets. The news was announced by the Hornets on social media . During his time with the Bandits in the 2026 season, Joiner made 21 appearances, including 13 starts, and finished with 16.9 points, 3.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.0 steals per games. Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals. They can include a potential bonus if the player spends time with the team’s G League affiliate.
Former Vancouver Bandits guard Kyle Mangas has signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Charlotte Hornets. The news was announced by the Hornets on social media. Mangas is expected to practice and compete with the Hornets during the 2026-27 Training Camp and preseason from October 3rd to 12th. During his time with the Bandits in the 2025 season, Mangas finished top five on the team in points (15.3), rebounds (4.6), assists (3.3) and steals (1.3). Introduced in the NBA’s 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement, Exhibit 10 contracts are one-year deals. They can include a potential bonus if the player spends time with the team’s G League affiliate.
The Vancouver Bandits have partnered with the Vancouver Park Board, Bandits Community Foundation and Little Legends Foundation to unveil a newly renovated outdoor basketball court at Grays Park in South Vancouver. Part of the Bandits Community Foundation’s Court Projects initiative, the team officially unveiled the refurbished court on Saturday (August 30). The grand opening included a ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by a free youth basketball clinic led by local coaches. Attendees also enjoyed a complimentary BBQ lunch, free haircuts and massages, and free backpacks and school supplies distributed for local youth. “The Bandits Community Foundation’s Court Projects initiative was designed to build and enhance public outdoor courts,” said Vancouver Bandits team president Dylan Kular. “The love for the game grows in spaces like Grays Park. This project would not have been possible without the support of our community partners. We will continue to enhance outdoor public courts, make them more inviting, and create stronger communities through basketball.” “Over the past few years, we have been trying to build one of the nicest courts here in South Vancouver for the community,” said community leader Spensir Sangara. “We recognized that Grays Park was one of the few neighbourhood parks without a quality basketball court for the community. Thank you to our businesses and donors who came together to make our vision a reality. This court is filled with a rich basketball culture and this is a legendary day for our community.” “When the Vancouver Bandits approached the Vancouver Park Board with the idea to upgrade this park, it seemed like the right fit and partner to help renew an important asset in a community where basketball plays such an important role,” said Vancouver Park Board Director of Business Services John Brodie. “Thank you to the Bandits and our partners for their generous contributions, and for being examples of what having a strong, community-oriented mission looks like.” The court refurbishment at Grays Park, located at 4850 St. Catherines Street in Vancouver, includes upgrades to the basketball hoops, playing area resurfacing and seating areas. Grays Park was identified as one of Vancouver’s most active outdoor basketball spaces, and community feedback strongly supported the refurbishment. Established in October 2023, the goal of Court Projects is to enhance outdoor basketball courts across British Columbia, creating productive and safe spaces for individuals to play while enriching local basketball at the community level. To date, this partnered team effort has featured the construction and installation of six brand new outdoor basketball courts and upgrading hundreds of basketball rims in communities across BC.
LATEST VIDEO
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Mamba on May 14, 2026.
A message from Vancouver Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius on the 2025 season and thoughts on the CEBL Western Conference Semifinal.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on August 16th, 2025.
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Winnipeg Sea Bears on August 3rd, 2025.