A pair of impact players will return to the Mandurah Aquatic and Recreation Centre this season with the Mandurah Magic men's team announcing it has re-signed 2015 SBL MVP Ray Turner and import Dequan Abroms for the 2023 NBL1 West season.
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Turner, who won the league's top player honour with the Perth Redbacks, also represented Willetton Tigers in 2017 before signing with the Magic ahead of the 2022 season.
The 206cm Texan has a wealth of experience, having earned a contract with the Sydney Kings in the 2019 NBL season as well as stints playing professionally in Japan, Hungary and Cyprus, and will ensure the Magic have a presence on the boards after averaging 8.6 rebounds last year.
Turner also had an impact on the scoreboard, averaging 15 points per game at 55 per cent shooting from the floor and finished the regular season with six double doubles.
Abroms, a 188cm guard who took out the Magic's MVP award last year, returns after making an impact on and off the court - he averaged 20.9 points per game with a season-high 42 against Cockburn in round 10, and could often be found helping to coach and referee the club's junior players.
Abroms, 26, and Turner, 33, were pivotal in helping the Magic make the playoffs in 2022 and recently appointed men's coach Mark Utley said he was thrilled with the prospect of coaching the pair, and even envisioned a bigger role for Abroms in the coming season.
"I see even more development from him this year. Last year Kyle Armour was running the point guard but Dequon's having a really good season in the ASEAN league where he's been forced to run the offence so I think there's more from him," Utley said.
"I'm looking forward to working with both players. Before I accepted the role as coach I knew we had these two quality players coming and that helped me form a decision to take the role on."
The pair join Cousteau Kyle in recommitting to the Magic's men's program, while the women's team has re-signed its 2022 joint MVP Sarah Toeaina, long-serving player Rachel Halleen returns for a 17th season, and guard Gabriella Turner has returned alongside husband Ray.
