Ahead of the 2026 NBL Season, a new rule pertaining the inclusion of an U21 player on every team was added. It says;

Double licensing: All NBL Teams shall/must register at least one (1) U21 on the final roaster. The said player must be a Ugandan National aged between seventeen (17) and twenty-one (21) years of Age. This player is eligible to play a minimum of five (5) games during the season and shall be licensed to also play in the Lower league by a team that agrees to sign him or her.

This has been welcomed by most people in the basketball fraternity and it will greatly impact the league.

Some teams may go out and look for the best players who can greatly impact the team while some teams will just put place holders, just to tick that box.

However, there are very many U21 Ugandan players available that can be put on any team.

In this article, we highlight some of the top talent that can help impact a team in the NBL.

Waleed Omar

Omar is one of those players that a team can put on their squad as a third point guard. He has played for a number of years in the Division One and Division Two and has amassed some experience.

He also played for the City Oilers at the 2024 Elite 16, Road to BAL and scored a very famous basket.

Given his links to the City Oilers, it would make sense if he signed for them. He is one that can turn out to be a top contributor in a year or two. Most importantly, he can stay with Ihoops in Division One for his development.

Brighton Galiwango

Galiwango played for the Junior Silverbacks at the U18 Afrobasket and was one of the top performers.

During the 2025 Division Two Season, he had a small cameo in which he exploded.

Brighton played 2 games for Vegetarian and in those he scored 35 points and 25 points.

These 2 games were a sign of what Brighton is capable of. He can be very explosive and when put on a team, he can be able to impact.

Edrine Ekau

Ekau has been dominant in the Division One and Division Two for a number of years with the Charging Rhino.

If he were to play in the NBL, he will be among the top producers. Edrine is very skilled and when it comes to attacking the basket, he knows how to find his way. In shooting, he can be unstoppable at times.

Edrine is perhaps the biggest U21 asset that a team can have, not only to fill the spot but to help the team compete.

Ethan Shiima

Shiima has improved his game tremendously and will be a force in a few years to come. He was playing in Division Two with the Makindye Shooters and caused a lot of mayhem for his opponents.

Given his size, he is one that can be brought into the NBL right now in order to better his skillset. In a year’s time or two, he could turn out to be one of the most dominant big men in the country.

Aron Victor Makmot

Makmot has played in the Division One and Division Two for a number of years and has been putting up decent performances. He has amassed a lot of experience and many believe that it’s high time he moved on from Watoto.

The NBL can be a new platform for him to showcase his talent and if he joined any team, he would be a top performer.

He is one that can guarantee you points and his average production would hover around a double-double.

Duot Ajang

Ajang is one of those players that played at the U18 Afrobasket in 2024. He has been playing in the Acholi Basketball League (ABL) with Layibi College and has continued to develop.

Ajang is one of those who can be a backup center and if he gets some minutes in the NBL, he can get more exposure.

He has a lot of potential and can turn out to be a star performer in about 2 or 3 years.

Pierre Laurent Rwuhiriro

Rwuhiriro was among the top performers for Uganda at the 2025 FIBA U16 Afrobasket. He knows his way around the rim and will turn out to be a problem for opponents in the future.

He is one that can be given an opportunity at the big stage and playing in the NBL would help him improve on his skills greatly.

Dexter Drew

I’m not sure if this is the exact name but that is the one he goes by. Dexter has been a sensation at the U18 trials and has impressed his fellow mates and the coaches.

I remember during phase one of the trials, veteran point guard Ben Komakech said this about him, “he is one of the most skilled guards that we have here.”

Such words coming from a legend like Ben says a lot about Dexter.

He is currently studying at SCORIS but if a serious team picked him up, he would help them a lot.

Dexter is very athletic, can make good reads and most importantly, he has confidence in himself.

Amos Mugisha

Mugisha Amos is currently playing with the UPDF Tomahawks who got promoted to the NBL. He did not get a lot of playing time but when he was on the floor, we saw glimpses of what he is capable of.

The biggest problem for Amos is his height but he ticks a lot of the other boxes. He is quick, fearless, can defend and his shots are decent.

Hopefully he can be able to get some more minutes in the NBL but one thing is for sure, he will contribute.

Jima Duol

Jima has been one of the standout players at the U18 trials which went on for 10 days. He is among the players that cracked the top 15 and has a high probability of being in the final 12 man squad.

He also has league experience having played for Makerere Eagles during their time in Division One. If an NBL team got him, he can be developed and turned into a top player in a short while.

Bonus: Joshua Bwakanda

Bwakanda is one of the players that featured for Uganda at the U16 Afrobasket in 2025. He put up a decent performance despite having been ill during the tournament. Joshua is very athletic, willing to learn and is fearless.

If a team picked him up, he is one that can be groomed and in the next couple of years, become one of the best forwards in the country.