The National Basketball League is a semi-professional basketball league in Uganda that is the highest division of men's basketball in the country.City Oil eases past Phenoms, New Vision-Uganda news. Retrieved 16 June 2016. The league currently consists of 13 teams.
Established in 1995, media often highlights the league's physicality.Mister City Oilers! John Vianney Nsimbe (The Observer), 13 February 2020. Accessed 29 June 2021. 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.
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.
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.
The City Oilers entered the league in 2013 and have since then dominated, winning ten consecutive titles.
Current clubs TeamLocationCity OilersSilver Springs, KampalaJKL DolphinsNamboole, KampalaJT JaguarsKira Town, KampalaKampala RocketsKampalaKCCA PanthersNakasero Primary School, KampalaKIU TitansKampalaLivingStoneBudaka DistrictNamuwongo BlazersNamuwongo, KampalaRezlife SaintsKampalaSommetKampalaUCU CanonsKampalaVictoria CrocsKampala
Past champions
SeasonChampionFinalistFinals score1995Makerere1996Power1997Charging Rhino1998Falcons1999Falcons (2)2000Sadoline Power (2)2001Sky Jammers2002Falcons (3)2003Falcons (4)2004Falcons (5)2005Nkumba Marines2006Nkumba Marines (2)2007Falcons (6)Kyambogo Warriors3–22008Sadoline Power (3)Falcons3–12009Kyambogo Warriors2010DMark Power (4)Kyambogo Warriors4–32011DMark Power (5)Kyambogo Warriors3–02012Kyambogo Warriors (2)FalconsJuruni eyes 2013 Basketball crown, NewVision.co.ug, 17 May 2013. Accessed 16 May 2017.2013City OilersFalcons2014City Oilers (2)Power4–02015City Oilers (3)UCU Canons4–32016City Oilers (4)Betway Power4–12017City Oilers (5)Betway Power2018City Oilers (6)Betway Power2019City Oilers (7)UCU Canons4–3 2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic20212022City Oilers (8)Nam Blazers4–32023City Oilers (9)KIU Titans4–22024City Oilers (10)KIU Titans4–02025Nam Blazers (1)City Oilers4–22026Nam Blazers (2)City Oilers4–3
Titles by team +Team Wins Runners-upYears wonYears runner-upCity Oilers1022013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 20242025, 2026Falcons631998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2004, 20072008, 2012, 2013Power541996, 2000, 2008, 2010, 20112014, 2016, 2017, 2018Kyambogo Warriors232009, 20122007, 2010, 2011Nam Blazers212025, 20262022Nkumba Marines202005, 2006–Makerere University101995–Charging Rhino101997–Sky Jammers102001–UCU Canons02–2015, 2019KIU Titans02–2023, 2024
Individual awards Each year, the FUBA Awards are held, and the most valuable player of the league is named. Year Most Valuable Player Playoffs MVP Top Scorer Ref. 2013 (Vegetarians) (Oilers) (Oilers) 2014 (Oilers) (2) (Oilers) 2015 (UCU Canons) (Oilers) (3) (Oilers) 2017 (Oilers) Asher Sserugo (Oilers) (Oilers) 2018 (Power) (Oilers) (Power) 2019 (Oilers) (Oilers) (Oilers) 2020 (Power) (2) (Oilers) (Oilers) 2022Tonny Drileba (Oilers) (3) (Oilers)2023Titus Lual (Oilers)Titus Lual (Oilers)Peter Cheng (Blazers)2024Titus Lual (Oilers)2025Joel Lukoji Banza (Blazers)Joel Lukoji Banza (Blazers)Fayeed Bbale (Oilers)2026Franck Fataki Nyembo (Blazers)Edrine Ekau
Division 1 and Division 2 winners The FUBA also organises the Division 1 (second level) and Division 2 (third level) leagues.
Division 1 +SeasonWinnersRunners-upFinals scoreMVP2019UDPF TomahawksNamuwongo BlazersFelix Mukunzi2018KUFalcons2022Kampala RocketsRezlife Saints2023LivingstoneJT JaguarsBismarck Omoya2025Rezlife SaintsVictoria Crocs
Division 2 SeasonWinners2021Livingstone2025UMU Flames
References
External links Ugandan basketball at AfroBasket.com