Raptors 905 acquire Tyrese Samuel from Valley Suns

In two years in the NBA G-League, Samuel has averaged 9.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just over 20 minutes per game. The 25 year-old Montreal native played college basketball for the Seton Hall Pirates before transferring to the Florida Gators for his final season. Going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, Samuel participated in NBA Summer League with the Phoenix Suns and went on to join the Valley Suns.

Samuel also had a stint with the Vancouver Bandits of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) last year where he averaged 21.6 points, 1.7 assists, and 10.9 rebounds per game, winning the CEBL Canadian Player of the Year award for the 2025 season. On February 1st the team announced that they had re-signed the forward for the 2026 season. The team’s head coach and general manager Kyle Julius had this to say about Samuel:

“Best Canadian in the league last year, you know, not even close… Statistically and impact on the game and so he’s a pillar, right? You’re gonna build around Tyrese and I think he’s at a point in his career now where this will be a leadership summer for him… We told Tyrese that we want to build around him and we’re gonna get parts that compliment him and vice versa and this is a summer for him to really lead us and we’re excited about that because again it’s another way that we can show the world and people in Canada that we make players better and we find ways for them to incrementally improve every summer.”

• Vancouver Bandits Head Coach and GM Kyle Julius via Chris Wiggins and the CEBL.

Standing at 6 foot 8 and 239 pounds, the second year forward bolsters a 905 frontcourt that recently lost Julian Reese, who signed a two-way contract with the Washington Wizards.

The addition comes amid a slide for the Raptors 905, who have lost 3 of their last 4 matchups. Their next game is set for Wednesday at 11am against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.