National Basketball League (Uganda)

National Basketball League

Organising body	FUBA
Founded	1995
First season	1995
Country	Uganda
Confederation	FIBA Africa
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Division 1
International cup(s)	Basketball Africa League (Road to BAL)
Current champions	City Oilers (10th title) (2024)
Most championships	City Oilers (10 titles)
Website	Official website
2024 NBL Uganda season

The National Basketball League is a semi-professional basketball league in Uganda that is the highest division of men's basketball in the country. ^[1] The league currently consists of 13 teams.

Established in 1995, media often highlights the league's physicality. ^[2] The City Oilers dominated during the 2010s, winning seven straight NBL titles. The Oilers are the league's most decorated team with ten won championships, which were all won consecutively. ^[3]

The champions of each season qualify for the Road to BAL, the qualifying rounds of the Basketball Africa League (BAL).

History

Basketball was introduced in Uganda in 1962, by the American Peace Corps and East African teachers. During the 1970s and 80s, economic hardship in the country meant a decline of the sport in the country as many schools abandoned the game. ^[4]

A national basketball league was founded in 1995 and started with six teams: the Kyambogo Warriors, Blue Jackets, Black Power, Rhino, Sky Jammers and Makerere University. Since 2003, the league was expanded with a second-level league, named Division 1. Since 2019, there has also been a third level named Division 2. ^[5]

The City Oilers entered the league in 2013 and have since then dominated, winning ten consecutive titles. ^{[3] [6]}

Current clubs

Team	Location
City Oilers	Silver Springs, Kampala
Ndejje University	Ndejje University, Kampala
Betway Power	Y.M.C.A, Kampala
Our Saviour	Makerere University, Kampala
Kampala Universe (Men)	Kampala University, Kampala
Kyambogo Warriors	Kyambogo, Kampala
UCU Canons	Uganda Christian University, Kampala
JKL Dolphins	Namboole, Kampala
KIU Titans	Kampala International University, Kampala
Sharing Youth	Sharing Youth, Kampala
Falcons	Makerere University, Kampala
KCCA Men	Nakasero Primary School, Kampala

Past champions

The City Oilers celebrating winning the 2022 season

Season	Champion	Finalist	Finals score	Ref.
1995	Makerere
1996	Power
1997	Charging Rhino
1998	Falcons
1999	Falcons (2)
2000	Sadoline Power (2)
2001	Sky Jammers
2002	Falcons (3)
2003	Falcons (4)
2004	Falcons (5)
2005	Nkumba Marines
2006	Nkumba Marines (2)
2007	Falcons (6)	Kyambogo Warriors	3–2	[7]
2008	Sadoline Power (3)	Falcons	3–1	[8]
2009	Kyambogo Warriors
2010	DMark Power (4)	Kyambogo Warriors	4–3	[9]
2011	DMark Power (5)	Kyambogo Warriors	3–0	[10]
2012	Kyambogo Warriors (2)	Falcons		[11]
2013	City Oilers	Falcons		[7]
2014	City Oilers (2)	Power	4–0	[12]
2015	City Oilers (3)	UCU Canons	4–3	[13]
2016	City Oilers (4)	Betway Power	4–1	[14]
2017	City Oilers (5)	Betway Power		[15]
2018	City Oilers (6)	Betway Power		[16]
2019	City Oilers (7)	UCU Canons	4–3	[17]
2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic			[18]
2021
2022	City Oilers (8)	Nam Blazers	4–3	[19]
2023	City Oilers (9)	KIU Titans	4–2	[3]
2024	City Oilers (10)	KIU Titans	4–0	[6] [20]

Titles by team

Team	Wins	Runners-up	Years won	Years runner-up
City Oilers	10	0	2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024	–
Falcons	6	3	1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007	2008, 2012, 2013
Power	5	4	1996, 2000, 2008, 2010, 2011	2014, 2016, 2017, 2018
Kyambogo Warriors	2	3	2009, 2012	2007, 2010, 2011
Nkumba Marines	2	0	2005, 2006	–
Makerere University	1	0	1995	–
Charging Rhino	1	0	1997	–
Sky Jammers	1	0	2001	–
UCU Canons	0	2	–	2015, 2019
KIU Titans	0	2	–	2023, 2024
Nam Blazers	0	1	–	2022

Individual awards

Each year, the FUBA Awards are held, and the most valuable player of the league is named. ^[21]

Year	Most Valuable Player	Playoffs MVP	Top Scorer	Ref.
2013	Bernard Okumu (Vegetarians)	Kami Kabange (Oilers)	Kami Kabange (Oilers)	[22]
2014		Jimmy Enabu (Oilers)	Kami Kabange (2) (Oilers)	[23]
2015	Brian Namake (UCU Canons)	Kami Kabange (Oilers)	Kami Kabange (3) (Oilers)	[24]
2017	Jordin Mayes (Oilers)	Asher Sserugo (Oilers)	Jordin Mayes (Oilers)	[25]
2018	Michael Makiadi (Power)	Landry Ndikumana (Oilers)	Michael Makiadi (Power)	[26]
2019	Landry Ndikumana (Oilers)	James Okello (Oilers)	Landry Ndikumana (Oilers)	[27]
2020	Syrus Kiviiri (Power)	James Okello (2) (Oilers)	Landry Ndikumana (Oilers)	[21]
2022	Tonny Drileba (Oilers)	James Okello (3) (Oilers)		[28]
2023	Titus Lual (Oilers)	Titus Lual (Oilers)	Peter Cheng (Blazers)	[29]
2024		Titus Lual (Oilers)		[20]

Division 1 and Division 2 winners

The FUBA also organises the Division 1 (second level) and Division 2 (third level) leagues.

Division 1

Season	Winners	Runners-up	Finals score	MVP
2019 [30] [31]	UDPF Tomahawks	Namuwongo Blazers	3–2	Felix Mukunzi
2018 [32]	KU	Falcons
2022 [33]	Kampala Rockets	Rezlife Saints	3–2
2023 [34]	Livingstone	JT Jaguars	3–2	Bismarck Omoya

Division 2

Season	Winners
2021 [34]	Livingstone

References

1. City Oil eases past Phenoms, New Vision-Uganda news. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
2. Mister City Oilers! John Vianney Nsimbe (The Observer), 13 February 2020. Accessed 29 June 2021.
3. Kule, Edwin Kyle (25 October 2023). "City Oilers lift record ninth straight National Basketball League title". Kawowo Sports. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
4. "HISTORY OF THE BASKETBALL IN UGANDA. – Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations". fuba.basketball. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
5. "BASKETBALL : FUBA lower division leagues return | Swift Sports Uganda". 23 March 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
6. "City Oilers Cruise to 10th NBL title". ChimpReports. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
7. "The rise, fall and fall of 'giant' Falcons". Monitor. 10 January 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
8. "Sadolin Power are FUBA champions". New Vision. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
9. "Power fought for 2010 basketball title". New Vision. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
10. "Uganda: Power Beat Warriors to Win Fuba Championship - Ghanamma.com" . Retrieved 21 August 2022.
11. Juruni eyes 2013 Basketball crown, NewVision.co.ug, 17 May 2013. Accessed 16 May 2017.
12. Nakato, Aisha (11 December 2014). "[PHOTOS] City Oilers Beat Power To Retain Basketball Championship". Kawowo Sports. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
13. Kaweru, Franklin (16 December 2015). "City Oilers beat UCU to win third straight NBL title". Kawowo Sports. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
14. "City Oilers power their way to fourth crown". Monitor. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
15. "City Oilers are PEPSI National Basketball League champions - afrobasket". Eurobasket LLC. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
16. "City Oilers win sixth Uganda basketball championship". 18 October 2018. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
17. "City Oilers win 7th straight Ugandan championship". BAL Report. 21 January 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
18. "FUBA cancels basketball league". The Independent Uganda. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
19. Kawalya, Brian (15 October 2022). "NBL Finals: City Oilers Silence Nam Blazers To Extend Invincibility". Live from ground. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
20. "Oilers complete KIU sweep, win 10th title". New Vision. Retrieved 7 September 2024.
21. Muyita, Joel (7 March 2020). "Okello, Akello win top gongs at FUBA Awards". Kawowo Sports. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
22. "Kami Kabangu Crowned 2013 Basketball MVP". 10 February 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
23. Eupal, Felix. "MVP Enabu comes of age in basketball". The Observer - Uganda. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
24. "Achieng, Kabange crowned 2015 Basketball's finest players". Kawowo Sports. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
25. "Register" . Retrieved 30 September 2021– via Facebook.
26. "Achieng, Kabange crowned 2015 Basketball's finest players". Kawowo Sports. 29 February 2016. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
27. Kaweru, Franklin (8 April 2019). "FUBA rewards excellence at Awards Dinner". Kawowo Sports. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
28. "Oilers win eighth NBL Championship in eight years". Monitor. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
29. Kule, Edwin Kyle (25 October 2023). "City Oilers lift record ninth straight National Basketball League title". Kawowo Sports. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
30. "UPDF win Division One Championship – Federation of Uganda Basketball Associations". fuba.basketball. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
31. "UPDF Tomahawks, Division One Champs". Basketball256. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
32. "BASKETBALL : FUBA lower division leagues return | Swift Sports Uganda". 23 March 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
33. Kawalya, Brian (12 December 2022). "Kampala Rockets Crowned Division One Champions". Live from ground. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
34. "LIVINGSTONE, FUBA DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS 2023". Basketball256. 2 December 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2024.

External links

• Ugandan basketball at AfroBasket.com