Nigerian Coaches to Participate in NBA Summer League for the First Time.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has extended its congratulations to Coach Ogoh Odaudu and Abdulrahman Mohammed of Rivers Hoppers Basketball Club. The duo has been selected among 25 African coaches to participate in the NBA Summer League, scheduled to take place from 12-22 July 2024, in Las Vegas, USA.
This marks a historic moment for Nigerian basketball, as it is the first time coaches from Nigeria will participate in the NBA Summer League.
Odaudu, assisted by Mohammed, led the Rivers Hoppers to a podium finish at the recent BAL Championship and was honoured as the BAL Coach of the Season.
In a congratulatory message, NBBF President Engr. Ahmadu Musa Kida applauded the achievements of Odaudu and Mohammed. He noted that their selection is a testament to the Federation’s developmental plans, aimed at encouraging Nigerian coaches and technical officials to enhance their basketball knowledge. The NBBF’s deliberate selection of national team coaches has clearly borne fruit.
“This development signifies bigger opportunities for the growth and development of the game, especially within the local basketball community,” Kida stated. “Both coaches are expected to return to Nigeria with enhanced technical knowledge, which they will share with other coaches, benefiting the local game.”
The NBBF also urged the two coaches to serve as worthy ambassadors for Nigeria while in the USA. Coach Odaudu has been assigned to work with the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Coach Mohammed will join the Utah Jazz, both prestigious NBA clubs in the United States.
