HORSHAM basketball product Mitch Creek will stay with the South East Melbourne Phoenix for the 2020-21 season.
Creek returned to the National Basketball League from the United States last season to average 20.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists.
He capped off an impressive season by taking home the Phoenix's inaugural Most Valuable Player award.
Now, Creek has committed to the club for the future.
"I'm staying to repay the fans and the club - we started something, and I want to continue to build it," he told Phoenix Media.
"It will be tough, but everyone is doing it tough, our fans are doing it tough and that's why I've decided to stay and get through this together."
The deadline for NBL players to opt out of their contracts was Monday.
Creek realised his NBA dream at the start of last year, signing a pair of 10-day contracts with the Brooklyn Nets.
The Nets released him after four games.
Dominant performances in the G-League earned Creek a second crack in the NBA, with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Creek featured in one regular-season game for the Timberwolves, before playing a starring role in the team's second-place finish at the pre-season Summer League tournament.
The Timberwolves overlooked Creek for the 2019-20 season, paving the way for a return to the NBL with the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
The Phoenix captain praised the work of league owner Larry Kestelman, commissioner Jeremy Loeliger and Australian Basketball Players' Association's Jacob Holmes.
"I think the way the ABPA, led by Jacob Holmes, Larry and the NBL, have worked together to get to where we are right now is admirable, everyone is in this together, everyone has to make a sacrifice to help us get through," he said.
Creek is now concentrating on getting his body ready to take on NBL21, in whatever form it takes.
"I love the club, love the fans and love what we're building and I'm in for the long haul," he said.
"What we achieved in our first season was amazing, the buy-in from fans, the community work we did, I'd hate to lose that momentum."
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