Makiadi chasing elusive Ugandan title as league jumps off

Kenya Morans’ forward Michael Makiadi will be in action this weekend for Uganda’s City Oilers as the 2021 National Basketball League (NBL) tips-off on Saturday, 17 April with the defending champions Oilers taking on newcomers Namuwongo Blazers, the highlight of the opening weekend.

Makiadi had penned a two-year contract with the side, before Covid-19 hit in 2020, and is eager to lift the elusive Federation of Uganda Basketball Association (FUBA) NBL title.

A former Co-Operative Bank Spartans (now defunct) player in Kenya, Makiadi has played in the Ugandan league for six years before, with the league title remaining elusive and is hoping Oilers who denied him the title in his previous stints with three other Ugandan sides will finally help him get his hands on the gong.

“Pre-season training went well and we even got to play a few friendly matches ahead of the season. One year on my contract is gone since we did not play the 2020 season. I have a shot at the title this season,” said Makiadi adding that he is open to extending his stay at Oilers.

The soft spoken Moran, with a lethal three point shot first played in the Ugandan league while still at Spartans. He got a deal to play for Uganda’s Heaters during the Kenyan mid-season break and headed to Uganda on a mission to win three matches and help Heaters avoid relegation. However, he ended up staying four months as the team qualified for the playoffs. He returned to Spartans in time for the playoffs and played for the 2011 league title.

Kampala International University(KIU) came calling after his Heaters’ stint and offered him a scholarship. He stayed at the varsity side from 2012 to 2015, graduating with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA).

The league title eluded him at KIU and he jumped ship to another Ugandan side, Power, in 2016. Again, the league title was so near yet so far as Power fell to Oilers at the final in both seasons that he played for the former. After two years at Power, six in the Ugandan league, Makiadi then moved to Rwanda, joining Patriots.

In his last stint in Uganda with Power, he won the regular season Most Valuable Player (MVP), top scorer and top rebounder. He also made the Zone Five team of the tournament as the best small forward.

He had a successful stay at Patriots, winning back-to back titles, was the Rwandese league playoffs’ MVP in his first season with Patriots in 2018, while in 2019, he was crowned the top rebounder.

His move to Oilers saw him give up a chance to feature in the inaugural Basketball Africa League (BAL) set for May 16, 2021. He also gave up a job with Rwandese league sponsors Bank of Kigali. Patriots have booked a slot in the 12-team BAL competition. However, he hopes to help Oilers to the next edition of the continental competition.