Nansikombi-Gunter Finding A Special Connection With Troy

For Uganda native Jamila Nansikombi-Gunter, the transition from Uganda to Moberly Community College, to Troy, Alabama, has been a long and complex journey. After coming to America for the first time in her life, a month later, she found herself living alone in the United States full-time.

While playing for the Greyhounds in Moberly, Missouri, the 5-11 forward was a standout. She averaged 12.9 points per contest in junior college and grabbed 7.8 rebounds a game. She shot 35 percent from 3-point range and was top-10 in the nation in field goal percentage, free throw percentage, rebounds, steals, and blocks.

Before coming to a brand new continent, Nansikombi-Gunter was an international star in her home country of Uganda. She earned the honor of playing in various international tournaments for the Ugandan national team. "It's very admirable," Nansikombi-Gunter said. "I want to do it more and more."

She was featured in the FIBA 3x3 tournament, the World Cup in 2018, and the African Cup in 2017. After her World Cup performance in 2018, she was named the 2018 Female Basketball Player of The Year.

However, coming to America would be an entirely different and frightening experience for Nansikombi-Gunter. She had never stepped foot in America before her recruitment to Moberly CC, and leaving her friends and family was new for her.

"It was terrifying but exciting at the same time," Nansikombi-Gunter said. "It was going to be the first time I was going to be away from my family for a long time. It was exciting, I was waiting for it for a long time, but it was also terrifying."

Head coach Chanda Rigby categorizes Nansikombi-Gunter's recruitment as very unique. A torn ACL and COVID issues for the now 25-year-old created a swirl of doubt around not only her physical health, but her NCAA eligibility.

"It was a really unique process because we did not recruit her all year," Rigby said. "There was some back and forth exactly like Felmas Koranga's situation as to whether or not she could play in the NCAA."

On a personal visit to Mississippi, Rigby received a phone call that would cast away any doubt about the Ugandan's ability to play in the NCAA.

"I took a couple days off and went down to Mississippi with my son, and I woke up early one morning and just called her coach just to see where she was, and her coach said that this same morning we got an email saying the NCAA ruled her as eligible."

For Nansikombi-Gunter, she remembers her first conversation with the Troy coaching staff very well, and it was clear to her that Troy was where she belonged.

"My very first conversation was with coach C (Courtney Simmons), but it wasn't really a long conversation. Then coach Rigby reached out to me, and my conversation with her wasn't basketball related. It was more about my safety and how I would feel comfortable in Troy. The basketball came in later, that's one of the reasons why I felt like Troy really cared about people and not just the athlete but the person. That was really attractive and nice to hear."

Preseason Sun Belt Player of The Year and Kenyan Koranga knows exactly how one of the newest members of the Troy basketball team felt, and the Trojan star made an effort to make her feel right at home.

"The hardest part is finding people that you click with or finding someone or a place that you feel at home," Koranga said. "I think that's the biggest thing for me. So whenever I heard that Zama was coming to us, I was like, okay, I have to create that environment for her so that she feels comfortable. If she needs something, she can always ask, and we will guide her towards the right steps."

Nansikombi-Gunter and Koranga had a prior relationship in Africa. However, the majority of the familiarity came in international competitions in Africa as their hometowns of Kampala Uganda and Nakuru Kenya are only separated by 500 kilometers.

The familiarity of cultures was an exciting addition for Koranga, saying, "It feels great because she is very close to home. My country and her country are not very far away from each other, and it just feels great. Especially back home, we share a couple of friends. I think that makes me feel at home just as much as it makes her feel at home."

While the international flavor on the women's basketball roster is relatively new for the Trojans and coach Rigby, the 11-year boss for Troy is excited about adding more perspectives to the team.

"I learned a lot, even through Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., about what we have to learn from each other when we have different cultures and backgrounds on our team. We want to learn everything we can from Felmas, and now there's another one and to have two from such different backgrounds on the team gives them more of a voice, and it makes us more curious to want to learn from them."

Despite transitioning from a post player to more of a guard role for the Trojans this season, Nansikombi-Gunter and the rest of her team are very confident about her ability to gel with the team and excel in 2022-23.

"The team I am on is great. Great people, great coaches, and everyone has their strengths, and I just am looking forward to playing toward my strengths. I want to do the best that I can and do whatever I can."

Troy University Athletics

Nansikombi-Gunter Finding A Special Connection With Troy

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