‘Definitely another level I know I can play at’

Emmanuel Akot maintains that his best basketball is still in front of him. His new head coach believes he can help the talented young pro get there.

The homegrown 26-year-old inked a deal earlier this week to return for a third season with the Winnipeg Sea Bears this summer. The 6-8 forward’s role on the floor has grown each of the last two summers, and so has his prominence locally.

“There’s definitely another level I know I can play at,” Akot, who averaged 11.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists across 19 contests last season, said Friday. “Getting this pro experience these last couple of years, I’m pretty sure about exactly what I need to improve on, and I’ve been working on it every day, so hopefully that shows this season.”

Akot said his decision to return was an easy one, given his ties to the city and his relationship with first-year head coach and general manager Mike Raimbault, who has known Akot since he was a teenager.

“The Sea Bears will always be my first choice. It’s home. Nothing is like playing in front of your hometown fans,” said Akot, who understands exactly what will be expected of him under his new head coach.

“Coach Mike is all about toughness. You see it with his Wesmen guys, everybody plays super hard. Very team-oriented, make sure the ball is moving. But more than anything, if you play for Coach Mike, you’re going to play hard. So I think that’s probably gonna be what shines the most.”

Akot spent part of the off-season playing for the Leicester Riders of the Super League Basketball in the U.K., but shut down his season early to rehab a “minor” knee injury. He is undecided on whether he will play again before Sea Bears training camp rolls around in April.

Assuming he’s healthy, Akot is expected to play a significant role this season. Raimbault lauds him for his versatility.

“He is a very good two-way player,” said Raimbault. “I mean, his ability to defend, he’s switchable — he can go and guard a smaller, quicker guy. Over the last few summers, he’s guarded bigger guys and battled down there, so he has the ability to impact the game at the defensive end. And same thing offensively, he’s not just pigeon-holed into being able to do one thing. His skill set allows him to have the ball in his hand and create.

“He can stand still and make threes. He can post up against smaller guys. He can put it on the floor and create for others. He’s a sort of Swiss army knife, if you will.”

Akot, who was one of eight players the Sea Bears reserved for first negotiation rights after last season, is the second protected player to sign with the club this off-season (Nathan Bilamu). His deal, however, is rather significant, as there was uncertainty around his future with the club after what transpired near the end of last season.

Akot was suspended by the Sea Bears late in the regular season after he left the team to represent the South Sudan national team at the AfroBasket tournament in Angola while still under contract.

With an understanding in place that he would play for the club through the end of the season, then-head coach Mike Taylor said there was work to be done on Akot’s part to repair the relationship between him and team owner David Asper. It was unclear whether he would ever play for the club again.

Akot re-joined the team after the tournament three weeks later, just in time for the Sea Bears’ lone playoff matchup.

Raimbault, who had dialogue with Akot this off-season about what transpired, is confident that the saga is behind them.

“We’ve talked about all kinds of things over the last handful of summers, and different places he’s been and things that he’s done, so I wouldn’t say that we haven’t had conversations about things that have happened previously, but a lot of our conversations are really concentrated on like, ‘Hey, what are we trying to do this year?’ said Raimbault.

“Obviously, there will be some changes and some differences and how he can fit in and use some of his experiences to help us with what we’re trying to do.”

Akot still stands by his decision to play for the national team, but has also moved on from the situation.

“I think it was a good experience. The Sea Bears, obviously, we have a good relationship. They did everything right on their part, brought me back, so just looking forward to this upcoming season,” he said.

The Sea Bears have until March 1 to sign their remaining protected players — Simi Shittu, Jalen Harris, Trevon Scott, Will Richardson, Maurice Calloo and Kyler Filewich — before they are unrestricted free agents. Non-protected players can be signed when free agency begins Feb. 1.

“We’re knocking down as many doors as we can, and looking at all possible options,” said Raimbault. “Everybody’s timeline is a little bit different, too, with where they’re at and what’s happened and what they’re doing, so no real, concrete updates… but we feel good about the work that we’ve done so far and the work that continues to need to be done.”

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