Wilbur Johnson has packed his bags and said a fond farewell to Brighton and the Bears.

It is a farewell with a PS attached, however, as the hugely popular centre heads home.

He has told his friends and colleagues: "I might just be back here in the Autumn."

Johnson flew back to Philadelphia on Tuesday reflecting on three years of steady progress on the Sussex coast.

He already has feelers out in Europe for a club next year and has had other teams in the British League enquire about his future plans.

Conjecture about retirement would, however, appear to be premature.

Speaking as he packed his bags on Monday, he admitted: "I'm sad and depressed right now but looking forward to going home.

"A lot of people have spoken to me about playing in Europe next season and there is a strong possibility.

"I'm going to test it out. I would be a fool not to.

"I've said all my goodbyes in Brighton just in case.

"Other clubs here have enquired about me but if I came back to England, Brighton would be my first, second and third choice."

Johnson has contacts in France, Germany and Italy and also impressed many observers in Portugal during Bears' four-match pre-season tour last September.

Perhaps, significantly, that trip was organised by a players' agent and Johnson's skills, physique and experience certainly stood out against the likes of Ovarense and Benfica.

Six seasons spent on these shores should entitle him to a coveted British passport this summer.

For British, read European, opening up a range of opportunities in other EU nations where basketball pays rather better.

He admitted: "It has been a great run for me in Brighton. We've had good crowds and the fans have been very supportive.

"I'm grateful to a lot of people, including Mark Dunning and Romek Kriwald for bringing me in when I was released by Sheffield and no one wanted me.

"I had two really good seasons here and one which was okay.

"I'm happy to have helped put Brighton back on the map in terms of basketball."

Johnson will be taking plenty of souvenirs of his season back to his wife and two daughters, including photos given to him by The Argus to record his MVP display in the National Cup final.

There will also be a couple of less welcome mementoes in the form of runners-up medals from the league and play-offs.

He said: "Up until this year I had never got a runners-up trophy.

"Now I've got two in a month and I'm not happy about it. Did we under-achieve? I suppose if you look at the bottom line and look at our team in September from one to ten, then say we would only pick up one piece of silverware, then yes, we under-achieved.

"If you then take Duck out for two months, take Ralph out for some games, have me feeling sick for part of the season, have Etete out hurt, you have to say we did okay.

"We won a piece of silverware, we were within one basket of winning the league, we got to the play-off final with all those things we had to deal with.

"We were fighting an uphill battle in the play-off final. The whole game was kind of nasty.

"I hate to blame the refs but I think it played a part with so many of us sitting on the bench in foul trouble."

Johnson looked to be in great form in Sunday's opening quarter against the Scottish Rocks before foul trouble struck.

He was handed the chance to haul his men back from 80-76 down with a wide open three-pointer going into the last 30 seconds but the ball rimmed out and Bears' chances had effectively gone.

The big No. 25 took it as a sign of progress that he was even called upon to attempt the shot.

He said: "That was the play we planned. They thought Billy Singleton would not chase me around the court and I would get time to shoot.

"It was a let down when the ball didn't go in but I was happy to be chosen to take the shot.