Hope Akello’s steady rise through Ugandan basketball has reached a landmark moment. The Uganda Gazelles forward has signed her first professional contract with Majd Tanja Basketball Club in Morocco, the club announced Friday.
“From Uganda to Morocco, Hope Akello is joining our team. With her energy, focus and drive, there is no limit to what we can achieve together,” Majd Tanja posted, capturing the excitement around one of Uganda’s standout performers.
For Akello, the move is the payoff for eight years of hard work and consistency.
Since joining JKL Lady Dolphins in 2017, she became the team’s heartbeat and one of the most decorated players in the Women’s National Basketball League, an MVP winner, a leader, and a major part of JKL’s dominance.
Her story began far from the professional stage. Born in Tororo to Moses Angura and Ruth Mirembe, she first picked up the game in 2012 at Trinity College Nabbingo.
A move to St. Mary’s Secondary School unlocked her potential, helping the school rise in national and regional competitions.
A stint with the Gladiators gave her early league experience, but her true breakthrough came at JKL, where her game flourished.
In her first season, JKL finished third, then captured the league title the following year.
From there, Akello became a force, strong in the paint, reliable on both ends of the floor, and a key pillar for the national team.
Now 27, she heads to Morocco ready for a new challenge and a bigger stage. For a player who has climbed step by step, Majd Tanja feels less like a destination and more like the start of another rise.
