Farewell Rodney Glasgow Junior: End of the road for club stalwart as Sharks coach finalises roster
Sheffield Sharks opened pre-season training for the forthcoming Super League Basketball campaign with a streamlined 10-man roster headlined by some new faces but notable omissions.
Five new players have been signed over the summer - American guards Adrian Delph, rookie Dan Gherezger, Tevin Brewer and experienced SLB schemer Maceo Jack, plus Australian forward Sean Bairstow.
And they join five players who are coming back to the Canon Medical Arena; long-serving forward Jordan Ratinho, power forward Donovan Clay and the experienced trio of Fahro Alihodzic, Mike Ochereobia and William Lee.
But the play-making triumvirate of Prentiss Nixon, Dirk Williams and Rodney Chatman that Sharks built their team around last season are moving on in a tacit acknowledgment of how things didn’t pan out the way they hoped in the 2025-26 campaign.
Another notable absentee from the 10-man roster Sharks plan to start the season with on September 27 - and one that will chime with the fanbase - is Rodney Glasgow Jr, their club captain for the past four seasons.
The 6ft 33-year-old point guard from Brooklyn first joined the team midway through the 2021-22 season and assumed the captaincy following the retirement of Mike Tuck that summer.
He has played a diminished role on the court in recent seasons – missing almost an entire year with an Achilles injury in 2023-24 – but has been a wholehearted ambassador for the club and a steadying influence in the locker room throughout his time.
“We’re just a little bit trying to figure out how to play and where we're going as a team,” explained Lyons of the reason the club has moved on from Glasgow.
“He's served us well for a long time and he's always going to be a part of the club. He's integral to what we do on and off the court.
“He's been a great stalwart for us, the juniors and representing the club. He's going to be a Shark for life. It’s not an easy conversation but it's part of the job, but also he has his own ideas and things where he is in his career. So, it's not a one-way street by any means.”
Another player Lyons called a ‘Shark for life’ was Nixon.
The explosive point guard was a huge hit among the fanbase but was starting to cut a frustrated figure as Sheffield’s season petered out last year.
He has yet to find a new club - hopefully an SLB team picks him up as the British game needs big characters and clutch performers - and while the door is never shut on a ‘Shark for life’ returning, Nixon’s days in Sheffield are, for now, over.
“Obviously, the fans love him and we love him here,” said Lyons. “Three seasons is a good run in this industry and profession. I think we've enjoyed our time with him and he's had, hopefully, a great time here.”
Williams has found new employment in Israel after his second spell with Sheffield came to an end while Nick Kern Jr, an American whose influence grew last season, and homegrown product Reyad West, have also not been retained.
At times last season, Sharks ran with an 11-man roster and the coaching staff found it difficult juggling everyone’s needs as they finished fourth and lost in the opening rounds of each of the three knockout competitions (Cup, Trophy and play-offs). This season the intention - to start with at least - is to run with the 10 now signed.
“It’s still day one, effectively, so let me see what's going on, but I think this will be the roster,” said Lyons.
“I just think our depth is going to hopefully be valuable as the season goes on, as it gets more and more difficult with back-to-back game weekends.
“It's a tough season with 10 teams in and a lot of physicality, so I think the depth will help us weather those storms when we have tough, tough months.”
The league when it tips off on the third weekend of September will have a new look to it, a 10th team in Liverpool, a new play-off format which sees only the top-six teams qualify for the post-season, and the number of pots to try and win down from four to three with the removal of the Trophy.
“I think it adds a little more intrigue to the league,” said Lyons of the format changes.
“It creates more competition throughout the top, rather than just top one or two or three, four maybe.
“I think the changes were necessary to make the flow of the season a little bit better.”
Sharks begin their SLB season a week after the majority of the teams in the league on Sunday, September 27, when Caledonia Gladiators are the visitors to the Canon Medical Arena.
Lyons takes his 10-man roster on a mini a pre-season trip to Belgium next week with games planned against teams in Antwerp and Oostende.