OFMAN MAKES JUMP TO THE MENS SENIOR TEAM

Image Courtesy Kai Johnson

Solent Kestrels are proud to announce GB U18 international Jakub Ofman makes the jump full time to the Men’s senior team for the 2025/26 NBL Division 1 season. The young Kestrels talent featured in 10 games for the senior team last season, where he will look to grow that role in the upcoming campaign.

Ofman a product of the Kestrels/Itchen pathway has grown up in the Kestrels programme, with a season at local club Winchester Royals also. Fresh off the back of perhaps his most dominant season in junior basketball last season, the dual British/Polish national will feature for coach Guymon’s side this coming season.

Jakub had a stand out season at the U18 level for Solent last season whilst also claiming the EABL South Conference Most Improved Player, which is a testament to the development he has shown in particular over the last season. This growth earned him a spot on the Great Britain U18 Men’s squad this summer at Eurobasket, where he earned his first caps for the team.

The 6’7 wing posted averages of 20.6 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 1.9 spg and 1.7 apg at the U18 Premier level whilst putting up 12.3 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 1.5 spg in the U19 EABL competition for Itchen.

Solent Head Coach Matt Guymon added, “Firstly we are really proud of Jakub for developing the way that he has over the past two seasons, he has worked hard and performed very well at both the U18 and U19 academy level as a result. This is what we want our programme to be about, providing our junior players the opportunity to move through the pathway, reaching the top with our senior men's/women's squads. We feel as though Jakub is ready to have a real impact at the Divsion 1 level and are looking forward to having him with us for one more season."

Jakub and the team are in their first pre season outing on Wednesday 3rd September 2025 at the Solent Sports Complex, as they host USA Select, tickets are on sale now for that game; https://www.solentkestrels.co.uk/tickets