Uganda Basketball Players Association president Paul Odong don hail di first ever UBPA All-Star Fest as big success. Im talk say di event na important step to join athletes together, honour legends, and make player welfare strong for di whole country.
Di festival hold for October 9, 2026, for packed Lugogo Indoor Arena inside Kampala. E pull plenti crowd come for full-day programme wey mix basketball wit entertainment and athlete advocacy. Dem organize am under di theme "After the Buzzer: Life Beyond the Court," and e bring together current players, former icons and fans.
Di day start wit candle-lighting ceremony to remember di basketball people wey don pass. Odong use di platform to recognise di ones wey build Ugandan basketball from di ground up, and at di same time e push for structural reforms — like say make dem get contracts wey court fit enforce instead of informal verbal agreement, settle financial disputes, and give players medical insurance wey dem fit rely on.
Odong tok say: "Our aim na to improve di ecosystem of di basketball community and see how much we fit unlock as franchise. But di most important tin na say we don come to protect di greatest assets for di game. And those na di players."
Di event happen like two months after UBPA register officially. Odong give credit to im executive team, sponsors and wellness partners say dem deliver di vision. E confam say discussion don already start to expand di festival next year. Ugandan musician King Saha perform during di closing showcase, wey get 1v1 contests, skills challenges, exhibition matches across di National Basketball League and adaptive sports, plus live music.
