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![\"Riley](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4324540_web1_Sea-Bears-Raimbault-and-Moon-1.jpg\")
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Riley Marra\/ Winnipeg Sea Bears<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Sea Bears head coach and GM Mike Raimbault (left) said that Xavier Moon (right) won\u2019t be making his debut on Thursday as the guard still has to be cleared to play by FIBA, the CEBL\u2019s governing body.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s obviously a dynamic guy. I think we\u2019ve been sort of looking at the things that we\u2019re doing offensively and, to be honest, trying not to think too much about when he gets here, but obviously he\u2019s a playmaker, and he\u2019s gonna make everything easier for everybody else,\u201d Raimbault said following Thursday\u2019s morning shoot around.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s gonna push the pace in transition, he\u2019s gonna control the tempo, he\u2019s gonna make great decisions, he\u2019s gonna make big shots when it\u2019s called for him to do so, but he\u2019s also going to make the game easier for guys like (Jeremiah) Tilmon (Jr.) and Teddy (Allen) and (Isiah) Osborne and these other guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was hope that Moon, who arrived in Winnipeg on Wednesday on the heels of his season with Zenit Saint Petersburg in Russia\u2019s VTB United League, would be able to play on Thursday, but that wasn\u2019t in the cards with the Sea Bears still waiting for him to be cleared by FIBA, the CEBL\u2019s governing body.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a pretty rushed operation from getting here yesterday, and we want to put him in the best situation,\u201d Raimbault said. \u201cWe\u2019re just happy to have him here with the group, and get acclimated and get up to speed. Obviously, he\u2019ll make a big difference when he gets a chance to be on the floor.\u201d<\/p>\n
Moon will have a better chance to play Saturday when the Sea Bears host his former squad, the Edmonton Stingers, at Canada Life Centre (3 p.m.). While there\u2019s still no guarantee that he\u2019ll be cleared by then, Moon, who played his only three CEBL seasons with the Edmonton, said there\u2019s no better opponent he would rather play in his return to the CEBL.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m very hopeful for that,\u201d said Moon. \u201cThat will be a storybook ending right there. I\u2019m hopeful, but we\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite three Most Valuable Player awards (2019-21) and two finals MVPs (2020-21) already filling his trophy case, Moon enters his fourth season in Canada\u2019s pro hoops circuit still feeling like he has something to prove.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m gonna say this: there\u2019s been a lot of things said that people probably think that I hadn\u2019t seen, so people have to stand on what they\u2019ve been saying,\u201d Moon said. \u201cThat\u2019s all I\u2019m gonna say.\u201d<\/p>\n
One thing he was likely referring to were the comments made by Stingers\u2019 GM and head coach Jordan Baker in the lead-up to Edmonton\u2019s season-opener against Winnipeg, when Baker stated that, \u201cThe grass isn\u2019t always greener.\u201d While Baker did not specifically name names, the message was clearly directed at the \u201cfamiliar face\u201d he was expecting to see back in May.<\/p>\n
A motivated Moon is great news for Winnipeg. So is the fact that the product of Goodwater, Ala., who is now 31-years-old, feels like he\u2019s an even better player than when he last played four years ago.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbsolutely, I matured a lot,\u201d said Moon, who played 28 games with the Los Angeles Clippers across three seasons (2021-24) and found success in the NBA G League after his time in Canada.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously, before that, I hadn\u2019t played in the NBA yet, so that NBA stint helped me grow as a person and as a player, and then obviously my last two years in Russia, just being over there, I learned a lot about myself, a lot about my game, and I\u2019ve definitely changed a lot as far as a player and a person.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part of that maturation came through the adversity he experienced last year while recovering from a knee injury he suffered early in 2025. It offered him perspective and kept him hungry.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was the first time I\u2019ve ever been injured, first time I ever had a surgery,\u201d Moon, who tore his ACL, said. \u201cIt gave me a chance to go home, spend time with my family, and then just really sit down and take some time to myself because I really hadn\u2019t had that time to myself. So I think I grew a lot over this past year, year and a half, and it\u2019s only gonna help me moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite playing overseas as the season started, Moon has remained connected with the Sea Bears, messaging coaches and teammates regularly, and watching most games. He noted that he\u2019s been impressed by the Sea Bears\u2019 play, particularly on defence, where they\u2019ve conceded the second-fewest points per game (88.6).<\/p>\n
His being in the building now has been especially nice for everyone. Moon said he \u201ccan actually use (his) voice now,\u201d while his teammates are thrilled about how the 6-1 guard can add fuel to a fire that is already raging on the offensive end.<\/p>\n
\u201cYeah, he\u2019s cool. I mean, we\u2019ve talked a little bit in the build-up, our messages and stuff, but his game looks pretty tight. He looks pretty twitchy. Seems like he makes shots, so I\u2019m excited to play with him,\u201d said Allen, a fellow former MVP who is leading the league in total points (276) and steals (28) this season.<\/p>\n
\n\t\tWinnipeg Free Press | Newsletter\n\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\tThe Warm-Up<\/p>\n
Winnipeg Jets Game Days<\/p>\n
On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop.<\/p>\n
\t\t\tSign up for The Warm-Up<\/a><\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t Allen and the rest of the Sea Bears guards understand that Moon\u2019s arrival will shuffle responsibilities and workloads. And, while it could mean his scoring numbers could take a hit, Allen said he feels he and Moon can complement one another. There\u2019s a world in which both can thrive offensively.<\/p>\n \u201cI just feel like it\u2019s two guards who can score in the backcourt, do it in different ways,\u201d Allen said. \u201cHe seems like a level-headed point guard, so I can always benefit from that.\u201d<\/p>\n Moon, who is working hard to get acquainted with his teammates and recover from the wear and tear of his winter season, echoed Allen\u2019s sentiments.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a great player, made some crazy shots,\u201d Moon said, \u201cso hopefully I can just come here and make his life a lot easier.\u201d<\/p>\n winnipegfreepress.com\/joshuafreysam<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t Joshua Frey-Sam Josh Frey-Sam reports on sports and business at the Free Press. Josh got his start at the paper in 2022, just weeks after graduating from the Creative Communications program at Red River College. He reports primarily on amateur teams and athletes in sports. Read more about Josh<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Josh produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.<\/p>\n \t\t<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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