As the new National Basketball League season looms, one of Uganda’s most decorated basketball players, Norman Blick finds himself entangled in yet another transfer saga.
The all-round player, who is no stranger to controversy in terms of moving from one team to another, is reportedly contracted by two teams in the same league.
Having played out his first contract with KIU Titans, Blick signed an extension last year in December to stay at the club for two more years.
He then followed that up by signing another two-year contract with newly promoted JKL Dolphins for whom he featured in the recently concluded FUBA Easter Cup.
As it stands, Blick has his signature on two team lists and has signed two contracts with the two clubs.
His two-year contract with KIU was signed in December last year and gives the side the player’s services until December 2018 but that didn’t stop the former league MVP from signing for JKL.
That would mean that the player cannot feature for any of the two sides in the coming season.
“He (Blick) registered to play for KIU Titans in 2017 and he has a 2-year contract with us,” Nasser Sserunjoji, KIU’s manager and FUBA Vice President, revealed to Kawowo Sports when contacted about the matter.
Sserunjoji also reveals that JKL contacted him about the player and he made it clear that he was still contracted and could only feature for the Titans.
“JKL management is aware because they contacted me and I made it clear that the player still has a contract with us.”
For the past three weeks or so, Blick has not appeared for KIU training sessions and has been attending the JKL sessions at Namboole.
Blick has played the last two seasons with KIU and the FUBA rules on transfers would allow him move to any other team after the two seasons only if he hadn’t signed a new contract in December.
When contacted by Kawowo Sports for a comment, Blick, who seems caught between a rock and a hard place, revealed that he would only wait and see how things unfold.
“I don’t know, there’s some confusion,” Blick said when asked about which team he would play for in the coming season.
During his time at KIU, Blick has barely played basketball as he doesn’t feature prominently in head coach Hamza Nyambogo’s rotation.
Nyambogo, however, believes the player still has a lot to offer and would help any team, KIU inclusive.
“Norman is a good player and will have a positive impact on any team but that will depend entirely on him,” Nyambogo revealed.
Appearing on two team lists would mean that Blick can’t play for any of the teams.
The league is set to start May 19.