Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Josh Okogie reflects on his experience during the NBA Summer League and more.
Basketball
Giannis 2018 NBA Season Mixtape
The NBA released Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 2018 NBA Season Mixtape video. Enjoy!
Arike Ogunbowale Wins 2018 ESPYS For Best Play
Notre Dame guard Arika Ogunbowale won the ESPYS last night for the BEST PLAY. If you forgot, Arika made the game winning three-point basket at the buzzer to win the national championship for the Lady Irish. By the way, Terrell Owens could have made a better effort in trying to pronounce her last name.
Ogwumike Sisters Make WNBA ALL STAR TEAM
The WNBA announced the WNBA All Star roster last night and both Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike earned a selection. Nneka will be making her 5th appearance while this will be Chiney’s 2nd All-Star appearance.
The WNBA All Star game will take place on Saturday July 28th at 330PM ET on ABC. Be sure to check out the Ogwumike sisters in action during the showcase of the best players in the WNBA.
NBA PARTNERS WITH AFD TO HELP YOUTH IN AFRICA
On July 4, 2018, the NBA & the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) announced their plan to encourage social inclusion by developing basketball infrastructure and conducting youth basketball programs, events, and initiatives in Nigeria, Morocco, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and other African countries. This announcement took place in Lagos, Nigeria with the president of France, Emmanuel Macron present amongst NBA & AFD high level officials, and other NBA ambassadors. AFD is France inclusive bank committed to financing and technical help for projects that improves the lives of people in emerging & developing economies.
French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted, “Sports can educate and empower people. I am a firm believer in the impact sport can have on each life and the future of a country. It’s time to invest in sports in Nigeria!”
Sports can change the world and it’s great to see a commitment to improving the lives of Africans throughout the continent through the game of basketball. Excited to the see the impact that this partnership has on the continent and what future players come from this as well.
D’Tigers Go 3-0 in African Cup Qualifiers
Last week the Nigeria D’Tigers went 3-0 in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 African Qualifiers. As a result, the team advances to the 2nd Rd of the Qualifiers that begins on September 14th. The D’Tigers got the opportunity to play in front of the home fans in the National Stadium in Lagos and the team did not disappoint at all. They averaged 104 points over the three victories with an average margin of victory of 41 points. Jordan Nwora (who currently plays for the Louisville Men’s Basketball team) set the record for the most points ever scored by a Nigerian in a major tournament when he scored 36 points in the last game vs Mali. Nigeria is currently ranked 32nd in the world in FIBA World Ranking (highest ranking African team).We’ll keep you updated on the D’Tigers run towards to the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China.
Check out some the highlights from Nigeria’s 111-70 victory over Rwanda:
Giannis is the NBA 2K19 Cover Athlete
2K Sports announced that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the cover athlete for NBA 2K19 Standard Edition. The game will be available on September 11, 2018, but you can preorder the game here. Congrats to Giannis on this incredible honor.
Check out the trailer for the game here featuring voice over from Giannis’ mother:
Oladipo Wins NBA Most Improved Player
Victor Oladipo won the 2017-2018 NBA Most Improved Player last night during the NBA Players Award. Oladipo posted career highs in points, rebounds, assists, and steals this season with averages of 23 PPG, 5.2 RPG, 4.3 APG, and 2.4 SPG (led the league in steals). He also received All-NBA Third Team & All NBA Defensive First Team nods this season while making his first NBA All Star appearance . Oladipo was the catalyst in the Indiana Pacers bounce back season including a thrilling seven game first round playoff series versus Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. After stops in Orlando & Oklahoma, it appears that Oladipo has finally found his home in Indiana. This is just the beginning of greatness for Oladipo.
Check out Oladipo’s top plays of the season here:
2018 NBA Draft
There were four Nigerian players drafted during the 2018 NBA Draft on Thursday including the number overall pick DeAndre Ayton to the Phoenix Suns. As you can see in the photo above, Ayton decided to show his love for his Nigerian roots inside of his suit.
| Name | Draft Pick | Team | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DeAndre Ayton | Phoenix Suns | Rd 1, Pick 1 | C | Arizona |
| Josh Okogie | Minnesota Timberwolves | Rd 1, Pick 20 | SG/SF | Georgia Tech |
| Chimezie Metu | San Antonio Spurs | Rd 2, Pick 49 | PR/C | USC |
| Kostas Antetokounmpo | Dallas Mavericks | Rd 2, Pick 60 | SF/PR | Dayton |
Check out Josh Okogie’s celebration with his family:
WNBA Naija Edition
As the WNBA season is underway this summer, here are the Nigerian players to keep an eye on:
| Name | Team | Position | University |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chiney Ogwumike | Connecticut Sun | Forward | Stanford |
| Nneka Ogwumike | Los Angeles Sparks | Forward | Stanford |
| Natasha Achonwa | Indiana Fever | Forward | Notre Dame |
| Evelyn Akhator | Dallas Wings | Forward | Kentucky |
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