ABIDJAN (Cote d'Ivoire) - Disappointment and heartbreak often leaves one with the decision to search for a new beginning but this is not the case with Uganda's Ishmail Wainright.

At the end of Window 4 of FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 African Qualifiers in August in Abidjan where Uganda  recorded three defeats in as many games (including a 76-69 loss to Guinea ),  many would simply call it quits.

"IRRESPECTIVE OF WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THE QUALIFIERS IS, I REMAIN COMMITTED TO UGANDA."- Ismail Wainright

A player of Wainright's caliber coming from the NBA and not getting the right results may want to say he is done given that his country saw their chances of a qualification to the World Cup in 2023 badly affected. That, is not the case for the former Toronto Raptors player now with the Phoenix Suns.

Rather, he says that he will be ready to see the end of the qualifiers billed for February 2023 to better his country's performance for the pride of it.

The 28-year-old forward told FIBA.basketball that he is far from being done with Uganda.

"Irrespective of what the outcome of the qualifiers is, I remain committed to Uganda," Wainright defended. 

"It's not just about playing but this team is a family for me. I am proud to be Ugandan and will be ready always to play. This is an opportunity for me to help the game of basketball in Uganda," he said gesturing to the inscription of Uganda on his jersey.

Discussing how a team that reached the AfroBasket Quarter-Finals for the first time in their history just a year earlier, Wainright noted that nothing should be taken away from the team because they gave their all.

"We played our hearts out in every game we played. Yes, there were things we would have done better and taken care of the ball and Coach George Galanopoulos actually put us in a position to win the game against Guinea but it was for the five players on court to execute."

Fatigue he said played a role in their games.  "As a team, we will focus on our Free-Throws and other aspects to better the team," he stated responding to the poor shooting from the charity stripe against Guinea.

The 1.96m (6ft 5in) guard, who played 45 regular season games and seven playoffs games in the NBA, has been an integral part of the Ugandan side since making his debut in November 2020.

In his debut with the Silverbacks during the AfroBasket Qualifiers in November 2020, American-born Wainright contributed 36 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists in a key 101-98 victory over Cape Verde in Alexandria, Egypt.

He was a key piece for Ugandan in the 2021 AfroBasket where he averaged 12.6 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.  

FIBA