D’Tigers captain, Ike Diogu; 2015 NBA winner with Golden
State Warriors, Festus Ezeli, and Ben Uzoh are some notable names
coach Mike Brown included in a 20-man provisional list for the 2021
Afrobasket qualifiers
Coach Brown who will officially begin his assignment with
Nigeria submitted a list featuring seven players who featured at
the 2019 FIBA World Cup where Nigeria qualified for the Olympics in
Tokyo.
Diogu will lead the legion which includes 29-year-old Stan Okoye
(Gran Canaria), Ben Uzoh, Ike Iroegbu, Talib Zanna, Ekpe Udoh and
Michael Eric.
Festus Ezeli will take his NBA experience to Rwanda and fight
for a chance to represent Nigeria for the first time ever alongside
a member of the 2015 Afrobasket winning team, Mike Gbinije.
After missing the final 12-man team to the World Cup,
France-based Ike Nwamu will make another return to the team
alongside Tonye Jekiri, Christopher Obekpa, Braxton Ogbueze, Mike
Efevberha, Obinna Emegano who at some point featured during the
team’s 2019 qualifiers series.
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Chima Moneke who has averaged 12.3 points and 5.8 rebounds in
four games for Orléan in the French league has also been called up
for the first time alongside Zaid Christopher Hearst-Okpalannaka
who plies his trade in the second tier of the French league.
Other new faces who will hope to earn their first cap include
Real Betis power-forward, Obi Enechionyia alongside Ogbunu John and
Rasheed Sulaimon who play for Casademont Zaragoza.
The 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers will take place in Kigali, Rwanda
between November 27 and 29.