For a decade, the sight of Ben Komakech bringing the ball up the floor was a signal of doom for opponents.
But as the City Oilers prepare for the 2026 National Basketball League, it’s time to discuss why the record champions need coach Komakech more than Komakech the guard.
While the fans still associate with the silent assassin, the previous campaign was a true testimony that the veteran guard should fully venture from clutch jumpers to clutch decisions on the sideline.
From execution to articulation
As a player, Komakech’s greatness was limited by his own physical output, his speed and 40 minutes on the clock but as a coach, his influence is exceptional because he is no longer a single threat but mind guiding five.
“When you a player, you focus on your performance and role on the floor while as a coach I am supposed to see the whole picture, the opposition and the tactical adjustments in real-time,” Komakech said.
The ‘whole picture’ perspective is what the Oilers lacked in last year’s final collapse. While the Namuwongo Blazers played with everything left on the floor, the Oilers lacked the tactical pivot needed to stop the damage.
As a dedicated assistant coach, Komakech possesses the rare ability to dissect a play before it even unfolds, a skill honed during his playing days, where his elite ball-handling and defensive anticipation made him a constant threat.
Developing players
Beyond his tactical brilliance, Coach Komakech excels at bridging the generational divide. The current Oilers roster is brimming with young talent in need of direction.
Having witnessed the veteran guard’s mastery on the court, these players offer him an immediate level of trust and belief that few others could command.
Where the coach is under pressure to get results, Komakech will be in place to mentor the process. He has spent the off-season moulding these young players into what he believes in as far as the game is concerned.
“I feel they (players) are ready. They are hungry to play as well as compete. I am happy to see the process as they grow from boys to men,” he added.
His transition to the sideline allows him to pour a career’s worth of elite basketball IQ into the ears of the league’s future stars. It is a transfer of power that simply was not possible while he was busy fighting through screens as well as managing recovery.
A legacy in a different position
“We don’t just play to win. We play to maintain a legacy. That is why all players need to learn and master playing Oilers’ basketball,” Komakech underlined.
This is the time for Komakech to make an impact on the beautiful game without touching the ball. It will not be because of the last-minute shot but rather designing a last-minute play.