In the 2025 NBL Season, the Namuwongo Blazers finally got over the hump, won their first NBL Championship and ousted the City Oilers.

They also went to the Road to BAL, qualified to play at the Elite 16 but things didn’t go their way on that stage.

Coming into the 2026 season, things are very different. They are the defending champions and the team to beat.

This is a position they have never been in before and it will be very intriguing to see how they handle the situation.

Background

When the Namuwongo Blazers came into the NBL in 2022, they came with a lot of fire and hype. A formidable squad was put together, finished as the number one seed but went on to lose the championship to the Oilers in game 7 of the finals.

In 2023, they pulled out of the playoffs after FUBA announced that City Oilers would be representing Uganda at the Road to BAL despite not having won the championship yet.

2024 was a tough year for them as the KIU Titans eliminated them in the semi-finals in a series that was decided in game 5.

However in 2025, they managed to get the job done having finished as the number one seed after the regular season and came back from a 2-0 deficit to win 4-2 in the finals.

In all those years, there was one constant, the team was always changing. From 2022 till 2025, the squad has been changing a lot and the team has never had what we call a core.

In 2026 though, the situation is different. The Namuwongo Blazers seemed to have found the winning formula (squad) and they want to continue with that.

Team staying together

A quick peak at the Namuwongo Blazers squad indicates that only 2 players left. One is the MVP Joel Lukoji, who joined the City Oilers then Nigerian Ezeani, who did not get a lot of playing team.

The team also made just one addition of Franck Nyembo, who was the best player in the league from the second round onward.

One unclear situation is of Tonny Drileba who was very instrumental in their run to the championship. He took on a Head Coaching role at KCCA Leopards and it is uncertain how involved he will be with the team.

Shall he play some games in the regular season? Will he join in the playoffs? All of this is unclear.

Also, Anthony Chukwubuka returned to Nigeria after the Elite 16. Will he be available in the regular season from the first round? All of this is unknown.

However, what is known is the fact that the Namuwongo Blazers have a formidable squad and they should be in pole position to win the championship.

This is easier said than done and this is where the questions comes in, what next after winning the 2025 Championship?

Hunger/Motivation

2026 could be the most important year in the Blazers history. This is the year where they will be the hunted and not the hunter. They will be under immense pressure and how they react will tell us who they are.

For the management, they decided to retain the players who delivered the championship. That is a key step in building a strong foundation for the new season. The players already know each other and what is expected of them.

Secondly, management also brought in arguably the best player in the league last season. If you are the best team in the land and then you add the best player, that shows that you are very intentional on winning again and again. There is no doubt that Franck Nyembo will elevate the Blazers to another stratosphere.

The biggest problem that the Namuwongo Blazers will have is themselves. Are they hungry for more? Are they motivated enough? Can they establish themselves as a force?

A lot of teams have made different additions to their teams and they all believe they can make a push for the championship. The Nam Blazers are the team to beat and if they can win this year, they have a chance to establish themselves as force for the foreseeable future.

Some people think that 2025 was a fluke, can the Blazers prove them wrong?

The 2026 NBL Season tips-off on 6th February.