ADVERTISEMENT
The Sun Nigeria
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun
No Result
View All Result
The Sun Nigeria
No Result
View All Result
ADVERTISEMENT
Ley Your Dreams Come Alive – With FCMB Loans
Home Sports

Nigeria basketball make huge marks with 2020 NBA Draft

19th November 2020
in Sports
0
Nigeria basketball make huge marks with 2020 NBA Draft
0
SHARES
227
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Nigeria basketball got a very bright peep into the likely future of its already successful senior National Men’s team, D’Tigers, as a glut of both Nigerian-born and players of Nigerian descent were selected in the 2020 NBA Draft Wednesday night.

The NBA Draft is a process through which elite players in the American University system are selected by teams playing in the National Basketball Association for the different for a chance to earn a living in the NBA League.

 

In the past, the draft was usually dominated by Europeans and Canadians, with a sprinkling of Africans – usually two or three and mostly from Nigeria, Senegal and lately Cameroon.

 

The 2020 class however is unique in the fact that of the 30 players selected in the First Round, 23 were born in the United States, 2 were born in Nigeria and one each from France, Israel, Serbia, and Australia; of the 23 born in the United States, four have Nigerian origins, thus bringing the total number of ‘Nigerians’ in the first round to an unprecedented six

 

There were no Canadians in the First Round, which is strange given the fact that the Canadians are neighbours to the United States and they have also developed a strong basketball culture. Toronto Raptors, one of the two expansion franchises that opened in Canada in 1995, won the NBA Championship in 2019 – and became the first Franchise outside the United States to win the title.

 

The Second Round also had 30 selected players, and again, 23 players were listed as Americans, while one each was listed from Nigeria, France, Czechoslovakia, Jamaica, Montenegro, Israel and Italy. Again, there were no Canadians in the Second Round which means that no Canadian-born players were selected.

 

However, the only listed Nigerian; Jordan Nwora was actually born in Buffalo, New York; while another Nigerian Daniel Oturu is listed as American. Oturu was also born in New York, but in Brooklyn.

 

Out of all these Nigerian players, the pair of Precious Achiuwa and Udoka Azubuike – both of who were selected in the First Round, qualify automatically to represent Nigeria because they were born in Nigeria: Achiuwa in Port Harcourt and Azubuike in Lagos. Nwora has already played for D’Tigers.

 

The other five players who are listed as Americans because it is the country of their birth, will have to indicate a willingness to switch. Isaac Okoro, who was selected the highest of them all as he was drafted at Number 5, has already claimed to be “Nigerian” and declared that he is a full blooded African.

 

What all these means is that Nigeria’s Men’s Basketball Team, D’Tigers, which already has an embarrassing array of talents to choose from, just got much stronger.

 

Nigeria just became the first country in Africa to qualify both her Men’s and Women’s Teams to the same Olympics. Just last year, the Women’s Team D’Tigress became the first African Team – Male or Female, to win multiple games at a major tournament, when they played all the way to the Quarter Finals of the FIBA Women’s World Cup.

Tags: d'tigersd'tigressjordan nworaNigeria basketballPrecious Achiuwa
Philip Nwosu

Philip Nwosu

Related Posts

NWFL: Lakeside Queens, three others qualify for championship
Sporting Sun

NWFL 2022 AGM picks Sept 14 for kick-off of 2022/2023 season

27th June 2022
Teams know fate as Mark D Ball Sweet 16 Round dunks off May 10
Sporting Sun

Return to international basketball: Igoche thanks Bukari, insists he remains NBBF president

27th June 2022
Djokovic pulls out of Paris Masters
Sporting Sun

Djokovic, Nadal lead title chase at Wimbledon

27th June 2022
Next Post
Ekiti deputy governor pays taxes due to govt

Ekiti deputy governor pays taxes due to govt

SARS operatives hanged, tortured me with pressing iron for 23 days over my failure to offer them N500,000 — witness tells Ekiti panel

SARS operatives hanged, tortured me with pressing iron for 23 days over my failure to offer them N500,000 -- witness tells Ekiti panel

Insecurity: We won’t lose hope — Northern women declare

Insecurity: We won't lose hope -- Northern women declare

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Highlights

Mafita commends Bauchi Gov for declaring public holiday for PVC registration

Hajj 2022: Malami, Kebbi Amiru Hajj flag-off 1st flight, urge pilgrims to be law abiding

One dies, 10 injured on Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway auto crash

Catholic communicators raise alarm over incessant killing of priests

BREAKING: CJN , Tanko Mohammed resigns

S/African president mourns 22 teenagers who died in tavern

Trending

BREAKING: Buhari to swear-in new Ariwoola as new CJN
Cover

BREAKING: Buhari to swear-in new Ariwoola as new CJN

27th June 2022
0

From Godwin Tsa, Abuja. President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to swear Justice Olukayode Ariwoola as the new...

Hajj 2022: Malami, Kebbi Amiru Hajj flag-off 1st flight, urge pilgrims to be law abiding

Hajj 2022: Bagudu bids 430 pilgrims farewell, urges them to pray for Nigeria

27th June 2022
We must use culture to tackle insecurity, corruption – DG Ahmadu Bello Foundation

We must use culture to tackle insecurity, corruption – DG Ahmadu Bello Foundation

27th June 2022
Mafita commends Bauchi Gov for declaring public holiday for PVC registration

Mafita commends Bauchi Gov for declaring public holiday for PVC registration

27th June 2022
Hajj 2022: Malami, Kebbi Amiru Hajj flag-off 1st flight, urge pilgrims to be law abiding

Hajj 2022: Malami, Kebbi Amiru Hajj flag-off 1st flight, urge pilgrims to be law abiding

27th June 2022
ADVERTISEMENT

Follow us on social media:

Latest News

  • BREAKING: Buhari to swear-in new Ariwoola as new CJN
  • Hajj 2022: Bagudu bids 430 pilgrims farewell, urges them to pray for Nigeria
  • We must use culture to tackle insecurity, corruption – DG Ahmadu Bello Foundation
  • Mafita commends Bauchi Gov for declaring public holiday for PVC registration
  • Hajj 2022: Malami, Kebbi Amiru Hajj flag-off 1st flight, urge pilgrims to be law abiding
  • One dies, 10 injured on Abeokuta-Sagamu expressway auto crash
  • Catholic communicators raise alarm over incessant killing of priests
  • BREAKING: CJN , Tanko Mohammed resigns
  • S/African president mourns 22 teenagers who died in tavern
  • Don’t be dragged into war, Zelensky appeals to Belarus:
  • Hajj 2022: NAHCON review activities with caterers, tour operators
  • Nigerian civil servants are exceptional, productive, says Yemi-Esan
  • ICAN ex chairman tasks accountants on integrity
  • Soludo says Anambra diversifying to agric-driven economy
  • Police kill 2 robbery suspects, recover arms in Benin
  • G7 summit opens amid lower expectations, protests
  • 2023: Peter Mbah shuts down Enugu with massive PVC awareness campaign
  • 2023 presidency: Atiku, Kwankwaso, Obi no threat to Tinubu — APC
  • We inherited pension problems spanning 20 years – Ejikeme, CEO, PTAD
  • PDP, APC bicker over corruption allegations in Plateau

Categories

  • Abuja Metro
  • Anambra Watch
  • Arts
  • Broken Tongues
  • Business
  • Business Week
  • Cartoons
  • Citizen Joe
  • Columns
  • Cover
  • Culture
  • Duro Onabule
  • Editorial
  • Education Review
  • Effect
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Events
  • Features
  • Femi Adesina
  • Food & Drinks
  • Frank Talk
  • Funke Egbemode
  • Gallery
  • Global Square by Kenneth Okonkwo
  • Health
  • Insights
  • Kalu Leadership Series
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Kunle Solaja
  • Letters
  • Lifeline
  • Lifestyle
  • Literary Review
  • Marketing Matters
  • Muiz Banire
  • National
  • News
  • Offside Musings
  • Opinion
  • oriental news
  • Politics
  • Press Release
  • PressClips
  • Public Sphere
  • Ralph Egbu
  • Shola Oshunkeye
  • Sideview
  • South-west Magazine
  • Sponsored Post
  • Sporting Sun
  • Sports
  • Sun Girl
  • Tea Time
  • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
  • The Sun Awards Live
  • The Sun TV
  • Thoughts & Talks
  • Time Out
  • Today's cover
  • Tola Adeniyi
  • Travel
  • Travel & Tourism
  • Trending
  • TSWeekend
  • Turf Game
  • Uncategorized
  • Updates
  • Views from Abroad
  • Voices
  • World
  • World News
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Paper Ad Rate
  • Online Ad Rate
  • The Team
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • National
  • Columns
    • Broken Tongues
    • Capital Matters
    • Diabetes Corner
    • Duro Onabule
    • Femi Adesina
    • Frank Talk
    • Funke Egbemode
    • Insights
    • Kalu Leadership Series
    • Kunle Solaja
    • Offside Musings
    • PressClips
    • Public Sphere
    • Ralph Egbu
    • Shola Oshunkeye
    • Sideview
    • The Flipside – Eric Osagie
    • Tola Adeniyi
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • The Sun TV
  • Sporting Sun

© 2019 The Sun Nigeria - Managed by Netsera.

Posting....