Why Nigeria's Tokyo 2020 roster pulled out of AfroBasket 2021

KIGALI (Rwanda) - Nigeria had a disappointing Tokyo 2020 campaign a month ago after finishing 0-3, but why has the entire roster pulled out of the FIBA AfroBasket 2021?

D'Tigers are known for having endless options to suit up for the team at any given moment, whether this is a blessing or not, it remains to be known because Nigeria have only won one African Championship title (2015) since they debuted in the competition in 1972.

By the time, Nigeria head coach Mike Brown announced the final roster for this year's AfroBasket in Kigali, only a few names had a history with the team.

"THERE WERE A LOT OF GUYS THAT WANTED TO PLAY, [BUT] THEIR TEAMS WOULDN'T RELEASE THEM BECAUSE TRAINING CAMPS START NOW. SO IT PUT US IN A LITTLE OF A PREDICAMENT, BUT AGAIN, THE DEPTH OF NIGERIAN BASKETBALL IS WHAT EXCITES ME."- Mike Brown

With the eight NBA players that featured for Nigeria in Tokyo unavailable, Brown had to build a new team from scratch in less than three weeks.

Out of the 16 players that featured for Nigeria during their six Qualifiers games, only Omotayo Ogundiran and Emanuel Omogbo returned for the AfroBasket 2021. Ibe Abuchi Agu was picked for the Qualifiers but didn't play a single minute.

Stephen Domingo had previously been preselected, but he's only debuted for his country at official competition at AfroBasket 2021. 

Omotayo Jordan Ogundiran seen in action during AfroBasket Qualifiers 2021 against Rwanda

Ogundiran averaged 2.7 points and 2 rebounds per game while Omogbo contributed 4.3 points and 5 rebounds in the First Round of Group D of the Qualifiers in November 2020.

Joining the Nigerian team in Kigali were four home-based, including Ikechukwu Benjamin, Victor Anthony Koko, Ibe Abuchi Agu and Celestine Benjamin. 

With so many changes made to the roster, could consistency and team chemistry be an issue for Nigeria?

Brown explained how he assembled his team and what coaching Nigeria is like.

"The great part about being a part of Nigeria basketball [is that] there are a lot of players that are available to play. The tough part about it is having this competition at this particular time, for us, it makes it really hard," Brown said.

"It puts us in a little bit of a predicament, but like I said, there were a lot of guys that wanted to play [but] their teams would not release them because training camp start now. So, it puts us in a little bit of a predicament, but again, the depth of Nigerian basketball is what excites me."

Mike Brown made his Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020

Brown continued: "Caleb Agada wanted to play [in Kigali]. He played throughout the Olympics, and then, he went to play for the Denver Nuggets Summer League. Now, to ask him to come here and play for two and half weeks, and go into the season, it's not healthy for his body to play that much for all year round.

"As a coach - I started coaching on 20th of June, but preparing to coach way before that. I coached for almost two months, and I took about a week off to visit my parents, and I am coaching again. Then, when I leave from here, as soon as I land I'm going to coaches' retreat with the Warriors; Two weeks after that we start the [NBA] season.

Benjamin Emelogu made his Nigeria debut with team-highs 18 points and 8 rebounds in a 81-73 win against Mali, in Kigali, August 25, 2021

"Yes, we are a young team or inexperienced team, but coaching these guys and being able to try to implement our system offensively and defensively with these young guys is just adding to the experience of the programme. It will help us going forward tremendously, especially bringing the four players from the Nigerian League. To be able to touch them and having them play with these guys and let them understand what our system is offensively and defensively, get used to the way we coach - all it’s going to do is uplift Nigerian basketball," Brown concluded.

FIBA