Vancouver Bandits welcomed Milan Mann to their ownership group at a press conference at the Langley Events Centre on Sunday.
Mann, president of the BM Group of companies joins Kevin Dhaliwal, founder and president of Essence Properties, and Bryan Slusarchuk, principal of SluzCap, as owners of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) team.
Mann said he wants to give children growing up in B.C. the same experience he had.
“I remember when I was 5 my parents took me to a Grizzlies game and it’s ingrained in my mind, and now I see kids in the stands experiencing that feeling (at) the same time,” he said.
“What’s most meaningful for me is being able to facilitate those same moments for the new generation.”
Mann said the Bandits’ involvement in the community is what drew him to become an owner.
“We want to be just as successful off the court as we are on it,” said Mann.
“It is a privilege and a dream come true to give back to the sport and community that have given me so much,” said Mann.
The Bandits have led several basketball initiatives in the Lower Mainland, from youth camps to renovating public basketball courts, through the Bandits Foundation.
During the Bandits Court Projects initiative, Mann said his company sent cement trucks to help build courts in the Lower Mainland.
“It’s how I was raised. The community is so important.”
Mann, who lives in Aldergrove, has previously been a Bandits season ticket holder, and said he was first interested in joining the ownership group in 2022, when Dhaliwal and Slusarchuk did.
“It was a fairly easy decision once we reignited the initial talks,” said Mann.
“The timing is just right. We’re community builders at the BM Group and this is no different.”
“It was a natural fit. (Milan’s) values align with ours,” said Dhaliwal.
Mann praised the Bandits for their work from top to bottom.
“(The organization), as all the records and awards show, has put together the top team in the league,” he said.
In 2025, Bandits President Dylan Kular was named CEBL Executive of the Year, and the Bandits were given the Community Champion Award for their off-court initiatives.
“Milan is the definition of a builder, not just in business but in community,” said Kular.
Last season, the Bandits lost in the play-in round of the CEBL playoffs, and Mann and head coach Kyle Julius said they’re hoping to use that loss as fuel for next year.
“For me, it’s championship or bust. I want to say that championship is coming very soon,” said Mann.
Since their inaugural season in 2019, the Bandits have made six playoff appearances, including winning back-to-back Most Valuable Player awards in 2024 and 2025.
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