Manchester Basketball add British quartet for 2026/27 season

Manchester Basketball have started shaping their 2026/27 Super League Basketball roster by confirming four British moves, with Kaiyem Cleary and Kayne Henry returning and Ciaran Sandy and Jonathan Brown joining the club.

The quartet gives head coach Matthew Otten a strong domestic core early in the summer. Cleary and Henry both joined Manchester last season and became important parts of the rotation, while Sandy arrives after a successful spell with London Lions and Brown joins after a breakout year with Bristol Flyers.

Sandy, a 6ft 7in forward, spent three seasons with the Lions and played more than 100 games for the club. He featured in EuroCup campaigns and was part of London teams that lifted British Playoff titles in 2024 and 2026.

Brown’s rise has been one of the more interesting British-player stories of the past year. The 6ft 3in guard began last season with Sligo All-Stars in Ireland, where Hoopsfix reported he averaged 19.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, before moving to Bristol and posting 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists across 34 SLB appearances.

His form also earned him a Great Britain senior squad call-up, adding another layer to Manchester’s domestic recruitment. Otten described Sandy as an “elite defender” who can guard multiple positions, while also highlighting Brown’s improvement and long-term ceiling.

For Manchester, the signings point towards continuity, defensive versatility and a clear British identity as the club prepares for another push in the SLB. With Cleary and Henry back and two proven domestic additions arriving, the early message is that Manchester want a roster capable of competing for silverware again.

Image/source note: Article image sourced from Hoopsfix coverage of Manchester Basketball’s 2026/27 roster moves. Reuse rights should be confirmed before publication if required.

Sources

• Hoopsfix: Manchester add British quartet for 2026/27