A generational shift appears underway for the Uganda Silverbacks as the national men’s basketball team unveiled the core of its squad for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 African Qualifiers.
Eleven players have been confirmed, with one final slot pending clearance before the team heads to Alexandria for a training camp. Team manager Albert Ahabwe revealed that documentation issues delayed the naming of the last player, but the technical bench expects the full roster to be completed before departure.
The headline inclusion is American-born guard Sibande Nike Dejur, who takes up Uganda’s naturalised player slot. Currently featuring for Niners Chemnitz in Germany’s Basketball Bundesliga and the EuroCup, his addition injects international experience into a squad blending youth and continuity.
Home-based contributors such as Fayed Baale, Joel Kayiira, Titus Lual Odeke, Peter Obleng, and Edgar Munaaba maintain a strong domestic spine within the setup.
Uganda faces a stern test in Group D against Mali, Angola, and Egypt, with the opening phase hosted in Alexandria. Sixteen African nations are battling for five tickets to Doha, Qatar, where the 2027 global showpiece will be staged.
With results carrying over between qualification rounds, every game will weigh heavily on Uganda’s ambition to return to the world stage.
Silverbacks Squad – Fayed Baale, Joel Kayiira, Titus Lual Odeke, Deng Geu, Jonathan Komagum, Peter Obleng, Robinson Opong Odoch, Tejan Joel Rugette, Nike Sibande Dejur, Edgar Munaaba, Naseef Lubowa
Technical team – Goran Lojo (Head), Mandy Juruni (Assistant), Secerovic Armin (Second assistant/Video Analyst), Andrew Tendo (Third Assistant)
