Globetrotting career empowers BC-bred Marek Klassen to lead new-look Bandits
By Contributing CEBL Writer: Emily Wilson • July 8, 2020
Klassen and co. tip-off against the Edmonton Stingers on July 26 at the CEBL Summer Series.
After playing in six different countries throughout his 10-year career, 28-year-old Canadian point guard Marek Klassen has learned to thrive in unfamiliar environments.
Now, he’s re-signed with a team for the first time in his career and aims to use his experiences to lead the new-look Fraser Valley Bandits as their only returning player for the 2020 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season.
Born in Abbotsford, B.C., basketball has taken Klassen all around the globe. After punctuating his high school career at Yale Secondary School with a provincial championship in 2010 and a nod as the Triple A tournament’s most valuable player, Klassen moved stateside to play at Point Loma Nazarene University (a small National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics program) in San Diego, Calif. At Point Loma, Klassen starred as a multi-sport athlete and excelled at both basketball and track and field.
Ultimately, basketball prevailed and Klassen looked to Europe to embark on his pro career. By 2015, he started building his professional resume and has played in leagues in Romania, England, Turkey and Ukraine.
Each season he adjusted to new atmospheres, teammates, coaches, languages and playing styles.
“Basketball is obviously a universal language. There's a lot of different ways you can play the game and there's a lot of different ways you can adapt,” Klassen said. “I like the challenge of going to a new country, playing with a different ball and trying to beat a team that has a totally different strategy than my team.”
The inaugural season of the CEBL presented another new and challenging environment for Klassen, who first signed with the Bandits in 2019 prior to re-signing this past March for the 2020 campaign. For the first time in a decade, he brought his game back to Canada to not only a new team but also a new league.
“There were so many questions coming into it all,” Klassen said. “It brought something new and fresh and exciting to the (Fraser) Valley – the fact that pro basketball is back and there’s just a lot of potential.”
In the first season, the Bandits finished last in the league, missing out on the CEBL’s playoff format, known as Championship Weekend. Individually, Klassen had a different story.
He finished as the league’s top passer, averaging 7.2 assists per game. He also set a record for the most assists in one game with 15 and earned a nod as a CEBL second team all-star
The Bandits have since refreshed their roster and coaching staff – keeping Klassen as the sole returnee. In addition to a new team, the 2020 season poses some unforeseen challenges due to the coronavirus pandemic. As an alternative to a regular season of play, the Bandits will travel to St. Catharines, Ont., to compete at the CEBL Summer Series, a two-week tournament that will feature no fans in venue at the Meridian Centre.
So, while Klassen is coming back to a team he knows, he once again finds himself needing to adapt to a new environment. He hopes that his experiences in Europe will help him learn on the fly with a new cast of teammates and coaches.
“I’ve played for so many different teams and so many different coaches. I've really had to adapt quickly,” Klassen said. “I'm going to learn my personnel and I'm going to hopefully just make everyone better around me and try and make the game easier for everybody else.”
Throughout his travels across Europe, there has always been a constant for Klassen: Setting a positive precedent for Abbotsford’s basketball community. The opportunity to influence the next generation of young basketball players and student-athletes was a deciding factor for Klassen when it came time to re-sign.
“I just felt like I wasn't moving – I was going to come back here and try to make a positive impact again,” Klassen said of his decision to suit up for the Bandits again in 2020.
Off the court, he aspires to teach young athletes about basketball and the power of sport through various community programs including his Abby Made basketball camp and player consultation service, CourtVision.
In addition to his game, his leadership qualities were another reason new Bandits head coach and general manager Kyle Julius decided to sign him back to the team, noting Klassen as the “ultimate role model for young athletes in the Fraser Valley” in a news release.
CourtVision partner Bret Macdonald shared the same views about Klassen.
“He's someone who puts the team first. It sounds cliché, but it's not with him. Marek puts the person before the player always and he's willing to ask questions – he’s willing to do the ‘quote-unquote’ grunt work. There's no task too big or too small for him,” Macdonald said.
“I think for a young aspiring kid to watch the Bandits and then also maybe be part of something like CourtVision while also watching Marek makes it something that’s realistic for kids to dream big.”
No matter where or who he plays with, Klassen’s goal stays the same and this season is no different. Win.
“It’s a totally different team, a totally different vibe and I think that we got the pieces (that) could take us all the way to the top,” he said.
“The Bandits are here to win this thing.”
Summer Series action begins on July 25, with the Bandits playing their first game on July 26 against the Edmonton Stingers. All games will be available on CBC Sports’ live-stream, with the Bandits’ matchup against the Hamilton Honey Badgers on Saturday, Aug. 1 set to be available on CBC TV as a national broadcast.
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The Vancouver Bandits are set to close out the 2025 CEBL regular season with a bang. As part of Fan Appreciation Night on Saturday, August 3rd, Bandits guard and social media sensation Tristan Jass returns to Langley Events Centre for the Tristan Jass $10,000 Halfcourt Shootout . Four lucky fans in attendance will be randomly selected to participate in the competition at halftime against Jass. The last shooter standing takes home $10,000. Event Format: Four fans are drawn from the crowd in the first half. At halftime, each fan takes a shot from halfcourt, followed by Tristan Jass to end the round. If no one scores, they go again. If one person hits, they win the cash. If multiple fans hit, only those who made it advance to the next round. Repeat until one winner remains. Entry Rules: Must be in attendance and hold a valid ticket. If your seat is drawn, you can shoot or nominate someone from your ticket group. All participants must sign a media release waiver before participating. The Bandits, who clinched a playoff berth on July 13 , host the Winnipeg Sea Bears in a tight race for playoff positioning. Fans can expect a sellout crowd with post-season implications on the line, marking one of the most crucial matchups of the season. The Tristan Jass $10,000 Halfcourt Shootout is one of the many additions to what is shaping up to be the Bandits’ most electric night of the year. Pre-game activities begin with the Bandits Backyard BBQ starting at 3 p.m. outside Langley Events Centre , featuring $1 hot dogs, live music, an inflatable kids play area, a sign making station and a beer garden for fans 19 and over. Tip-off takes place at 5 p.m. and single game tickets are available for purchase by following this link . Jass, who appeared in two preseason games for the Bandits on May 8 and 10 respectively, has been placed on the Bandits’ Suspended List since July 1, 2025 as a result of the CEBL’s Import player limitations, restricting clubs to a maximum of four Import (non-Canadian) players on an Active Roster at a time. His “ YouTuber to Pro Hooper ” web series, documenting his day-to-day experience playing with the club, has garnered over 1.2 million views on YouTube. ### For Vancouver Bandits media inquiries, please contact: Senior Manager, Brand & Communications, Justin Sulpico, media@thebandits.ca , 604-626-8513 About 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 Langley Events Centre (LEC).  About the CEBL: A league created by Canadians for Canadians with a mission to develop Canadian players, coaches, sports executives, and referees, the CEBL boasts the highest percentage of Canadian players of any pro league in the country with 75% of its rosters being Canadian and a record 12 players with NBA experience in 2024. Players also bring experience from the NBA G League, top international pro leagues, the Canadian National team program, NCAA programs, as well as U SPORTS and CCAA. More than 20 players have signed NBA contracts following a CEBL season, and numerous CEBL players attend NBA G League training camps every year. The CEBL season runs from May through August with games broadcast live on CEBL+ , TSN, TSN+, RDS , Game+ and Next Level Sports & Entertainment . More information about the CEBL is available at CEBL.ca and @cebleague on Instagram , Twitter , TikTok , LinkedIn , Facebook & YouTube .
A few friendly bounces at the rim made all the difference for the Calgary Surge in a tense battle against rival Vancouver on Friday night (July 25). With the game on the line in Target Score Time at WinSport Events Centre, Calgary guard Evan Gilyard Jr. launched a deep three that rattled in after a few tense moments. It was Gilyard’s first triple of the game, but it lifted the Surge past the Bandits 98-96. The Surge have now swept the regular season series against the top-ranked Bandits, with both teams already locked into playoff spots in the Western Conference. The intensity of Friday’s contest mimicked a postseason showdown. Calgary head coach Kaleb Canales said the group executed the game plan on both ends of the floor with togetherness and championship poise. “We felt we had a great week of practice. We knew this was a heavyweight fight. We have a lot of respect for that team but I love our team and I love our squad and I love where we’re at,” Canales said. Both teams saw the return of NBA Summer League talent, with Vancouver’s Tyrese Samuel and Calgary’s Jameer Nelson Jr. making an impact after their time in Las Vegas. Nelson Jr. netted 21 points, including 15 in the first half, while tallying six rebounds, six assists and four steals. “[Jameer] was playing both ends at an … elite level. We absolutely love him and he was making plays when it was time to make plays,” Canales said. Sean Miller-Moore and Greg Brown III also had standout performances in the win. Miller-Moore dropped a game-high 27 points and hauled in eight rebounds, while Brown III notched a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double. Meanwhile, Samuel finished with a team-high 26 points for Vancouver on 12-15 shooting. He said he could’ve done better on the boards, but was happy with his return to the lineup overall. “It feels good to be back out there with the guys. Obviously, today wasn't the result we wanted but we're just gonna go back to the drawing board and just be ready for the playoffs,” Samuel said. Aussie big man Mitch Creek was also a force in the frontcourt with 25 points and 13 rebounds in the loss, while Kyle Mangas added 12 off the bench in his second game back from NBA Summer League. After three consecutive games with at least 15 threes, the Bandits cooled down on Friday with eight from long range at a 29 per cent clip. Calgary also capitalized on 18 Vancouver turnovers with 25 points. “Some turnovers and giving them some easy offensive rebounds I think was part of the problem for sure,” Vancouver head coach Kyle Julius said. The range of talent for both squads was on full display in the early stages of the game. The Bandits and Surge each started hot before the pace slowed. A catch-and-shoot triple from Corey Davis Jr. gave the Bandits their first lead at 16-14, and they stayed ahead 25-22 after 10 minutes. Vancouver extended its lead to nine in the second quarter following inside finishes from Creek, Zach Copeland, Samuel and a three from Davis Jr. However, Nelson Jr. willed the Surge back into the game with 11 points in the quarter. He showed off his complete game as well, stealing the rock on defence before dishing to Brown III in transition for a massive slam. After trailing for the entire second quarter, Calgary tied it up heading into the locker room with a buzzer-beating putback from Javonté Brown. Miller-Moore regained the lead for the Surge to kick off the third quarter with a transition dunk. Calgary locked in defensively for the remainder of the frame, limiting the high-powered Bandits' offence to just 18 points. Brown III added to his highlight reel late in the quarter, spinning for a left-handed dunk on Kur Jongkuch that put him on the free throw line as well. Down four points entering the final quarter, Creek and Samuel went to work inside for Vancouver. The frontcourt duo combined for 17 points before Target Score Time to knot the game at 87, but Brown III finished a putback to give Calgary a two-point advantage heading into the final stretch. The bigs continued to duel in Target Score Time, with Samuel opening the scoring before Brown III showed his versatility, connecting on back-to-back threes and rejecting Creek on the other end. Calgary missed multiple shots for the win, and Samuel added another layup before fouling out. A putback from Creek vaulted Vancouver back in front at 96-95, putting both teams a bucket away from victory. On the following possession, Gilyard did his best Kawhi Leonard impression to win the game with a deep three that needed multiple bounces before dropping. Box Score https://www.cebl.ca/game?id=2600650
Highlights of the Vancouver Bandits against the Calgary Surge on July 25, 2025.
The Vancouver Bandits have announced today the following roster update in advance of its Friday, July 25 away game against the Calgary Surge at 7:00 p.m. PT: F Tyrese Samuel has been removed from the Suspended List and added to the Club's active roster; he will be available for tonight's game. G Izaiah Brockington and G Tristan Jass remain on the Club's Suspended List.
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