The Nigeria national basketball team is the national team of Nigeria

Nigeria

Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...

 and is generally considered one of the best in Africa along with Angola

Angola national basketball team

The Angola national basketball team represents Angola in international basketball matches and is controlled by the Federação Angolana de Basquetebol. Angola has been a member of FIBA since 1979...

 and Senegal

Senegal national basketball team

The Senegal national basketball team are the men's basketball side that represent Senegal in international competition. The squad has comprised several players to have competed in the National Basketball Association, including Charlotte Bobcats center DeSagana Diop, and is considered, with those...

. They are ranked 21st in the world FIBA rankings.

Recently, the team has enjoyed success due to an orchestrated recruitment of American college and professional players of Nigerian descent. A team dominated by Nigerian-Americans qualified for the 2006 World Championships for only the second time in the country's history, and eight players on the team representing Nigeria in the 2009 Afrobasket tournament (where Nigeria is one of the favorites) are American born.

The team joined FIBA in 1964.

2006 FIBA World Championship

Nigeria took part in the 2006 FIBA World Championship

2006 FIBA World Championship

The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...

s in Japan. They were drawn in Group A with Argentina

Argentina national basketball team

The Argentina national basketball team represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and is controlled by the Argentine Basketball Federation....

, France

France national basketball team

The French national basketball team is the national basketball team representing France. It is administrated by the Fédération Française de Basket-Ball . The team has been competitive, but has yet to win a major international tournament...

, Lebanon

Lebanon national basketball team

The Lebanon national basketball team is the basketball team representing Lebanon in international competitions.-History:The first time basketball was ever played in Lebanon was in the mid-1920s in the American University of Beirut...

, Serbia and Montenegro

Serbia national basketball team

The Serbian national basketball team represents Serbia in international basketball matches....

, and Venezuela

Venezuela national basketball team

The Venezuela men's national basketball team represents the Venezuela Basketball Federation in international competitions such as the International Basketball Federation , the International Olympic Committee , the World Championship, the South American Basketball Championship, the Pan American...

. They finished third in Group A, then were narrowly defeated by Germany in the Round of 16. Overall they finished 14th.

African Championship record

Morocco 1964 FIBA Africa Championship 1964 The FIBA Africa Championship 1964 was hosted by Morocco from March 4 to March 8, 1964. The games were played in Casablanca. The United Arab Republic won the tournament, its second straight African Championship, by going undefeated in the round robin format....  : Did not participate Tunisia 1965 FIBA Africa Championship 1965 The FIBA Africa Championship 1965 was hosted by Tunisia from March 28 to April 2, 1965. The games were played in Tunis. Morocco won the tournament, its first African Championship, by going undefeated in the round robin format.-Competing Nations:...  : Did not participate Morocco 1968 FIBA Africa Championship 1968 The FIBA Africa Championship 1968 was hosted by Morocco from March 29 to April 6, 1968. The games were played in Casablanca. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the two berths allocated to Africa for the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City...  : Did not participate Egypt 1970 FIBA Africa Championship 1970 The FIBA Africa Championship 1970 was hosted by the United Arab Republic from March 9 to March 15, 1970. The games were played in Alexandria. United Arab Republic won the tournament, the country's third African championship and qualified for the 1970 FIBA World Championship as a result.-Competing...  : Did not participate Senegal 1972 FIBA Africa Championship 1972 The FIBA Africa Championship 1972 was hosted by Senegal from December 25, 1971 to January 2, 1972. The games were played in Dakar. Senegal won the tournament, its second African Championship, by beating Egypt in the final...  : 12th Central African Rep. 1974 FIBA Africa Championship 1974 The FIBA Africa Championship 1974 was hosted by the Central African Republic from April 5 to April 15, 1974. The games were played in Bangui. Central African Republic won the tournament, its first African Championship, by beating Senegal in the final...  : Did not participate Egypt 1975 FIBA Africa Championship 1975 The FIBA Africa Championship 1975 was hosted by Egypt from December 20 to December 28, 1975. The games were played in Alexandria. Egypt won the tournament, its fourth African Championship, and a berth in the 1976 Summer Olympics by going undefeated in the round robin format.-Competing Nations:The...  : Did not participate Senegal 1978 FIBA Africa Championship 1978 The FIBA Africa Championship 1978 was hosted by Senegal from December 24, 1977 to January 1, 1978. The games were played in Dakar. Senegal won the tournament, its third African Championship, to qualify for the 1978 FIBA World Championship.-Competing Nations:...  : 6th Morocco 1980 FIBA Africa Championship 1980 The FIBA Africa Championship 1980 was hosted by Morocco from March 20 to March 28, 1980. The games were played in Rabat. Senegal won the tournament, its fourth African Championship, by beating Cote d'Ivoire in the final...  : 11th Somalia 1981 FIBA Africa Championship 1981 The FIBA Africa Championship 1981 was hosted by Somalia from December 15 to December 23, 1981. The games were played in Mogadishu. Cote d'Ivoire won the tournament, its first African Championship, by beating Egypt in the final...  : Did not participate Egypt 1983 FIBA Africa Championship 1983 The FIBA Africa Championship 1983 was hosted by Egypt from December 19 to December 28, 1983. The games were played in Alexandria. Egypt won the tournament, its fifth African Championship, to qualify for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles....  : Did not participate Côte d'Ivoire 1985 FIBA Africa Championship 1985 The FIBA Africa Championship 1985 was hosted by Côte d'Ivoire from December 20 to December 28, 1985. The games were played in Abidjan. Côte d'Ivoire won the tournament, its second African Championship, by beating Angola in the final...  : 7th

Tunisia 1987 FIBA Africa Championship 1987 The FIBA Africa Championship 1987 was hosted by Tunisia from December 17 to December 18, 1987. The games were played in Tunis. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the two berths allocated to Africa for the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul...  : 8th Angola 1989 FIBA Africa Championship 1989 The FIBA Africa Championship 1989 was hosted by Angola from December 16 to December 27, 1989. The games were played in Luanda. Angola won the tournament, its first African Championship, by beating Egypt in the final...  : Did not participate Egypt 1992 FIBA Africa Championship 1992 The FIBA Africa Championship 1992 was hosted by Egypt from December 28 to January 8, 1993. The games were played in Cairo. Angola won the tournament, the country's 2nd consecutive African championship, by beating Senegal in the final.-Competing Nations:...  : 5th Kenya 1993 FIBA Africa Championship 1993 The FIBA Africa Championship 1993 was hosted by Kenya from September 18 to September 28, 1993. The games were played in Nairobi. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the two berths allocated to Africa for the 1994 FIBA World Championship in Canada...  : Did not participate Algeria 1995 FIBA Africa Championship 1995 The FIBA Africa Championship 1995 was hosted by Algeria from December 11 to December 18, 1995. The games were played in Algiers. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the berth allocated to Africa for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta...  : 3rd Senegal 1997 FIBA Africa Championship 1997 The FIBA Africa Championship 1997 was hosted by Senegal from July 25 to August 3, 1997. The games were played in Dakar. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the two berths allocated to Africa for the 1998 FIBA World Championship in Greece. Senegal won the tournament, the country's 5th...  : 2nd Angola 1999 FIBA Africa Championship 1999 The FIBA Africa Championship 1999 was hosted by Angola from July 29 to August 6, 1999. The games were played in Cabinda and Luanda. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the berth allocated to Africa for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney...  : 2nd Morocco 2001 FIBA Africa Championship 2001 The FIBA Africa Championship 2001 was hosted by Morocco from August 4 to August 12, 2001. The games were played in Rabat and Casablanca. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the two berths allocated to Africa for the 2002 FIBA World Championship in the United States. Angola won the...  : 5th Egypt 2003 FIBA Africa Championship 2003 The FIBA Africa Championship 2003 was hosted by Egypt from August 7 to August 16, 2003. The games were played in Alexandria. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the one berth allocated to Africa for the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens...  : 2nd Algeria 2005 FIBA Africa Championship 2005 The FIBA Africa Championship 2005 was hosted by Algeria from August 15 to August 24, 2005. The games were played in Algiers. This FIBA Africa Championship was to earn the three berths allocated to Africa for the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan...  : 3rd Angola 2007 FIBA Africa Championship 2007 -5th-8th Playoff:-9th-12th playoff:-13th-16th Playoff:-Final standings:-External links:*...  : 5th Libya 2009 FIBA Africa Championship 2009 The 2009 FIBA Africa Championship was the 25th FIBA Africa Championship, played under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de Basketball, the basketball sport governing body, and the African zone thereof. At stake were the three berths allocated to Africa in the 2010 FIBA World Championship...  : 5th Madagascar 2011 FIBA Africa Championship 2011 The 2011 FIBA Africa Championship was the 26th FIBA Africa Championship, played under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de Basketball, the basketball sport governing body, and the African zone thereof. At stake is the berth allocated to Africa in the 2012 Summer Olympics basketball...  :

FIBA World Championship

FIBA World Championship

The FIBA World Championship is an international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams of the members of the International Basketball Federation , the sport's global governing body...

 record

• 1998 FIBA World Championship
  1998 FIBA World Championship
  The 1998 FIBA World Championship was the 13th FIBA World Championship, an international basketball tournament held by the International Basketball Federation and hosted in Athens, Greece from July 29 to August 9, 1998...
  
  : 13th
• 2006 FIBA World Championship
  2006 FIBA World Championship
  The 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
  
  : 14th

Notable players

Several players for the Nigeria team have had success playing for professional teams in the NBA or in Europe, including:

• Akin Akingbala
  Akin Akingbala
  Akinlolu Akinayi Akingbala is a Nigerian professional basketball player. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Akingbala came to the United States to play basketball and he attended Clemson University after playing soccer in the same city where former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon was raised. He is in...
  
  
• Peter Aluma
  Peter Aluma
  Peter Aluma is a retired Nigerian professional basketball player. After high school at Okota Grammar School in Isolo, Nigeria, the 6'10" center became a star at Liberty University in Virginia, USA....
  
  
• Aloysius Anagonye
  Aloysius Anagonye
  Aloysius Anagonye is a Nigerian American professional basketball player with the KK Union Olimpija of the Adriatic Basketball League. A graduate of Michigan State University in 2003, Anagonye has also played for the Basket Livorno and theSutor Basket Montegranaro in Italy...
  
  
• Tunji Awajobi
• Obinna Ekezie
  Obinna Ekezie
  Obinna Ralph Ekezie is a Nigerian professional basketball player, formerly in the NBA. His name, Obinna, means "Father´s heart".-Career:...
  
  
• Ebi Ere
  Ebi Ere
  Ebi Ere is a US-born Nigerian professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for the Obradoiro CAB, in the Spanish Liga ACB. He previously played for the Sydney Kings, also of the NBL. Ere won the grand final 2007 with the Brisbane Bullets...
  
  
• Benjamin Eze
  Benjamin Eze
  Benjamin Ndubuisi Eze is a Nigerian professional basketball player. He is currently playing for the Italian professional team Olimpia Milano. He is a 2.08 m tall center.-Professional career:...
  
  
• Ekene Ibekwe
  Ekene Ibekwe
  Ekene Brian Ibekwe is a basketball Power forward from the United States of Nigerian ancestry. Ibekwe, who also played for the Carson High School's Boys Basketball team, graduated from the University of Maryland at College Park and was a member of the Nigeria national basketball team at the 2006...
  
  
• Michael Olowokandi
  Michael Olowokandi
  Michael Olowokandi is a retired Nigerian British professional basketball center who played in the American National Basketball Association from 1998 to 2007....
  
  
• Olumide Oyedeji
  Olumide Oyedeji
  Olumide Oyedeji is a Nigerian professional basketball player, most notably in the American National Basketball Association....
  
  
• Ime Udoka
  Ime Udoka
  Ime Sunday Udoka is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player who last played for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. He plays internationally with the Nigeria national basketball team....
  
  
• Jeff Varem
  Jeff Varem
  Jeff Varem is a Nigerian professional basketball player. He formerly played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. He also played as an import for the Coca-Cola Tigers and the Barako Bull Energy Boosters in the Philippine Basketball Association.-External links:* nba.com* ...
  
  

Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Olajuwon

Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian-American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played the center position in the National Basketball Association for the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. In 2008,...

 never played for the Nigeria team at senior level, and would eventually play for the United States after becoming a U.S. citizen in 1993.

2011 Roster

|}
| valign="top" |
Head coach
Assistant coach
----

Legend:

• (C) Team captain
• Club field describes current pro club

|}
2009 African Championship: finished 5th among 16 teams

Akin Akingbala

Akin Akingbala

Akinlolu Akinayi Akingbala is a Nigerian professional basketball player. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Akingbala came to the United States to play basketball and he attended Clemson University after playing soccer in the same city where former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon was raised. He is in...

, Aloysius Anagonye

Aloysius Anagonye

Aloysius Anagonye is a Nigerian American professional basketball player with the KK Union Olimpija of the Adriatic Basketball League. A graduate of Michigan State University in 2003, Anagonye has also played for the Basket Livorno and theSutor Basket Montegranaro in Italy...

, Chamberlain Oguchi

Chamberlain Oguchi

Chamberlain Oguchi is a Nigerian American basketball player. He is a 6'6", 200 pound guard-forward who most recently played as an import for the Meralco Bolts of the PBA. Oguchi played for the University of Oregon for three years before transferring to Illinois State University in 2007...

, Deji Akindele

Deji Akindele

Akindele Jeleel Ayodeji is a Nigerian professional basketball player. He is currently playing for Spartak Primorye in Russia...

, Michael Efevberha

Michael Efevberha

Michael Efevberha is an Nigerian and American professional basketball guard. He is 188 cm tall. Efevberha plays for the basketball team Wellington Saints and the Nigeria national basketball team...

, Michael Umeh

Michael Umeh

Michael Umeh is an American professional basketball player. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Nigeria because both of his parents immigrated from Nigeria. He is 188 cm tall and weighs 91 kg .-Career:Umeh played high school basketball at Hightower High School in Houston...

, Josh Akognon

Josh Akognon

Joshua Emmanuel Akognon is a Nigerian American professional basketball guard who played collegiate basketball for Washington State University and Cal State Fullerton .-High school:...

, Ebi Ere

Ebi Ere

Ebi Ere is a US-born Nigerian professional basketball player. He plays shooting guard for the Obradoiro CAB, in the Spanish Liga ACB. He previously played for the Sydney Kings, also of the NBL. Ere won the grand final 2007 with the Brisbane Bullets...

, Ejike Ugboaja

Ejike Ugboaja

Ejike Ugboaja is a Nigerian basketball player. In 2006 he was selected by the National Basketball Association's Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. He has not competed in an NBA game....

, Gabe Muoneke

Gabe Muoneke

Nnadubem Gabriel Enyinaya Muoneke is a Nigerian American professional basketball player. Despite being born in the United States, Muoneke represents Nigeria internationally....

, Jayson Obazuaye

Jayson Obazuaye

Jayson Obazuaye is an Nigerian professional basketball guard. He is 188 cm tall. Obazuaye plays for the basketball team Milton Keynes Lions and the Nigeria national basketball team...

, Benson Egemonye

Benson Egemonye

Benson Egemonye is a Nigerian basketball player. He is a 6'10", 230 pound Center. Benson played for the Niagara University for three years averaging 12.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.6 bpg as a senior helping lead the team to a 26-9 record and to the NIT Tournament. He has also been a member of the Nigeria...

 (Coach: John Lucas II

John Lucas II

John Harding Lucas II is a retired American professional basketball player and a current assistant coach for the Los Angeles Clippers.-Basketball playing career and substance abuse:...

)

2011 African Championship: finished 3rd among 16 teams

Solomon Tat

Solomon Tat

Solomon Tat is a Nigerian basketball player. He competed for Nigeria at the 2011 FIBA Africa Championship, where the team finished in third place. He is a native of Jos Plateau, Nigeria and played college basketball with the Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team. He was a tri-captain of the...

, Ime Udoka

Ime Udoka

Ime Sunday Udoka is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player who last played for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. He plays internationally with the Nigeria national basketball team....

, Abubakar Usman, Chinedu Onyeuku, Ikechukwu Ofoegbu, Michael Umeh

Michael Umeh

Michael Umeh is an American professional basketball player. He is a dual citizen of the United States and Nigeria because both of his parents immigrated from Nigeria. He is 188 cm tall and weighs 91 kg .-Career:Umeh played high school basketball at Hightower High School in Houston...

, Stanley Gumut

Stanley Gumut

Stanley Gumut is a Nigerian basketball player. A native of Jos, Plateau State, Gumut plays internationally with the Nigeria national basketball team. He played with Nigeria at the 2007 and 2009 FIBA Africa Championships. He is a guard.-References:...

, Derrick Obasohan

Derrick Obasohan

Derrick Obasohan is a Nigerian American basketball player, who currently plays for Medical Park Trabzonspor. Obasohan represented Nigeria at the 2006 FIBA World Championships in Japan. Obasohan is a former first team all-Southland Conference performer at the University of Texas at Arlington in the...

, Ejike Ugboaja

Ejike Ugboaja

Ejike Ugboaja is a Nigerian basketball player. In 2006 he was selected by the National Basketball Association's Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. He has not competed in an NBA game....

, Ezenwa Ukeagu, Jayson Obazuaye

Jayson Obazuaye

Jayson Obazuaye is an Nigerian professional basketball guard. He is 188 cm tall. Obazuaye plays for the basketball team Milton Keynes Lions and the Nigeria national basketball team...

, Olumide Oyedeji

Olumide Oyedeji

Olumide Oyedeji is a Nigerian professional basketball player, most notably in the American National Basketball Association....

 (Coach: Ayo Bakare)