With the NBL tipping off on Friday 21st, we take a look at some of the players who have a lot to prove in the upcoming season.

Shakirah Nanvubya is a signing that has excited many and with her performance at the Afrobasket Qualifiers in Cairo, she is seen as a person that can become a force.

The JT Lady Jaguars had major problems when it came to scoring the basketball in the 2024 but with the signing of Nanvubya, she is expected to improve them significantly.

Nanvubya has the ability to score and most importantly create easy opportunities for her teammates and this will help up their offense.

Perus Nyamwenge was the biggest signing in the 2024 season and the KCCA Leopards were looked at as the main competitors for the JKL Lady Dolphins.

However, after a wonderful first round, things started to crumble for the Leopards.

They lost against all top 5 teams in the second round and got eliminated by the JT Lady Jaguars in the quarter-finals.

As things stand, there is no hype about the KCCA Leopards which is a sign that people are not confident in their ability to challenge for the title.

As a leader and face of the team, Perus has to get the squad on the same page in order to challenge.

She has to lead on and off the court and her performance will be very pivotal in the Leopards’ success or failure.

Secondly, the Afrobasket is around the corner and she has to impress the coaches and public to prove that she belongs on that final squad.

Sharon Kirabo was among the 15 players selected to prepare for the Afrobasket Qualifiers.

However, she wasn’t named in the final 12 and this will serve as fuel to her.

The continental championship is not far away and Sharon will be working to impress the coaches and the public.

Secondly, with the thin squad that will start the season for the Rangers, she is looked at as part of  leadership that can take them forward.

Privas Kayeny was very dominant in the 2024 FUBA Division One and some argue that her brief departure (to participate in the Vitality Nations Netball Cup) in the finals might have cost Nkumba Lady Marines the Championship.

She has played in the NBL before but she has to prove that she can have a similar level of dominion that she did in the Lower Division.

Sera Yaweh has a lot to prove more so in the aspect of leadership.

With the problems currently happening at the A1 Challenge, they need a reassuring voice from a senior player and Sera has to be that person.

There is no doubt that A1 Challenge will struggle due to the lack of players but those available, can Sera galvanize them to look at the positives and focus on their season  objectives?

Shillah Lamunu Aber showed a part of what she can do during the Afrobasket Qualifiers group game against Egypt.

She put the Egyptian Point Guard Reem Moussa under lock down and thus disorganized their offensive flow.

This time around, she will be charged with the task of pointing the ball for the Lady Canons.

With the departure of Nanvubya and Tracy Namugosa, she is next in line and the 2024 finalists shall heavily be relying on her.

She has to prove that she’s up to the task and also, her performances will help determine if she’s good enough to make the final 12 for the Afrobasket.

Many believe that Caroline Nakato is a good player but we barely saw her during her time with the UCU Lady Canons.

She started just 1 game and averaged 9 minutes in the 2024 season.

Her move to Angels is a breath of fresh air and a chance to resuscitate her career.

She joins a side that doesn’t have a lot of pressure but as an individual, she has to prove to herself that she can still perform and this is an opportunity for her.

Given the high number of turnovers that we saw from Angels in the playoffs, getting a calm and composed person was key for them and Nakato fits the profile.

Can she develop into a top talent? We shall be finding out.

Prosper Anyine is another player who seemed to have been forgotten during the 2024 season with the UCU Lady Canons.

She started just 4 games and averaged 12.5 minutes.

However, in the 2023 season when Shakirah Nanvubya was out with an injury, Prosper had a lot more playing time and showed that she could compete.

Prosper now finds herself with the Miracle Ravens and will undoubtedly be their starting point guard.

Their guards Brenda Alyano and Hanifah Namuli both perform with ball in hand but Prosper adds a new dimension to the Ravens’ style where she can create for the 2 and the bigs and this could benefit the collective.

Evelyne Nakiyinji had a spectacular 2024 season but the only blemish is the that her performances in the final were not up to the standard that she had set for herself during the regular season.

Evelyne played like the best point guard in the league and the fact that her name is not mentioned anywhere is a sign of ‘disrespect’.

Evelyne will come with a chip on a her shoulder, ready to lead the Lady Dolphins to a third consecutive championship.