The Super League Basketball season tips off on Friday night with Sheffield Sharks perhaps relieved to still have nine days to wait before getting their own campaign underway.

Sharks still need to get some bodies back before they commence the 2026-27 season at home to Caledonia Gladiators on Sunday week.

Two of their summer recruits have barely played in pre-season, with one of those being a key conduit for how the team will play.

Head coach Atiba Lyons named Donovan Clay his player of the season when he was last at the club in 24-25, and so was delighted to bring him back after a spell in Japan.

Donovan Clay is back in a Sheffield Sharks uniform but currently working his way back to fitness.

placeholder image — Donovan Clay is back in a Sheffield Sharks uniform but currently working his way back to fitness.

But an ankle injury has restricted the forward to just one half of basketball so far, while 22-year-old rookie guard Dan Gherezger has logged even fewer minutes with a thigh contusion.

Clay is going to be a big part of the Sharks offence, meaning Lyons has had to work on multiple variations of how they will play.

“It won’t run totally through him, but some of the line-ups we put out there it’s quite unique, he gives us a lot of advantages,” said Lyons, who is confident Clay will be fit to start the season.

“We played a half of basketball with him in Antwerp and he played well, so everyone on the team knows what it can look like, so that’s a positive.

“He’s just a great physical presence for us, anchors the defence, and his confidence helps the guys offensively.

“I’ve not got an idea on our starting guards yet because we haven’t seen Dan play. He’s practiced with us and then had a first injury. I’m not worried about who we’re going to be starting, I think we’re going to be strong.”