Atiba Lyons has been head coach in Sheffield since 2008 — seventeen years on the sideline, a rare constant in British basketball. In a league defined by churn, where imports cycle in and out and rosters are rebuilt every summer, his presence has given the Sharks a stability most clubs can’t match. Continuity is the exception, and this season no team is leaning on it more than Sheffield.
Returning players accounted for 46 per cent of Sheffield’s minutes in the opening fixture — by far the highest by any team in the league across the opening week of games.
| Team | % Minutes by Returning Players |
|---|---|
| Sheffield Sharks | 46.4% |
| Caledonia Gladiators | 36.0% |
| Newcastle Eagles | 34.1% |
| Leicester Riders | 29.4% |
| Manchester Basketball | 27.1% |
| London Lions | 23.5% |
| Bristol Flyers | 16.9% |
| Cheshire Phoenix | 14.3% |
A returning player is defined as a player who played at the club during the 24/25 season
That level of continuity makes Sheffield the league’s clear outlier — and it shows in the shape of their roster.
The Core Returns
The return of Rodney Chatman III, an MVP candidate before injury, and Prentiss Nixon, a Team of the Year guard, headline the backcourt. Jordan Ratinho, Rodney Glasgow Jr and Mike Ochereobia also return to the roles they made their own last season.
It’s stability with good reason. Sheffield finished third, lifted a cup, and at times looked like the best team in the league. When you’ve built that kind of platform, it makes sense to hold onto it.
Adding Chemistry
The most striking addition is a familiar one. Dirk Williams returns to Sheffield more than half a decade after his first spell with the Sharks, having since become one of the league’s most reliable shooters with London and Manchester before testing himself in France and Kosovo. At 30, he comes back as a veteran presence, bringing both his shooting and the experience of a player who has thrived across the league.
Sheffield’s other moves also come with built-in familiarity. Mervin James arrives from Surrey with a year of SLB experience, while William Lee returns to Britain after a season abroad. Both had already worn Sharks colours during the club’s TBT run this summer, giving them an early chance to mesh with the core.
Even the new imports are not total strangers. Jalen DeLoach and Nick Kern Jr arrive with the advantage of having already played together at VCU, adding another layer of ready-made chemistry.
Foundation or Ceiling?
Last year Sheffield moved away from their long-time gritty half-court identity. At their best they leaned on paint pressure — collapsing defences and creating space for outside shooters — and it marked a clear shift in how they played. This season looks like a deliberate extension of that approach.
With one of the league’s bigger budgets, Sheffield could have gone for wholesale change in search of something new. Instead, they have doubled down on stability — a long-standing coach, a core in defined roles, and a style they believe can carry them further. The question is whether that stability will prove a foundation to build on, or whether in a league evolving fast, it begins to look like standing still.
