Just last year, the men’s team, D’tigers put up a fantastic performance at the World Cup in China, a feat that earned them automatic ticket to the now postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games with Nigeria slated as the only African country that will feature two teams at the Olympics when it holds after the current COVID-19 crisis.
In preparation to make a worthwhile outing on the global stage, former NBA Nigerian prodigy basketball player, Olumide Oyedeji has now warned against foreign players who don’t have what it takes to shield the nation’s name.
“I don’t have anything against the NBBF’s decision to open doors for players in the NBA and other leagues abroad to play for D’Tigers:, he said
“There are laid down rules of eligibility, which a player must meet before he can feature for a national team. If the NBBF is building a national team beyond the Olympics, the body should ensure they bring in players that are ready to remain in the national team in good and hard times to help develop the team”.
“Some of these players did not grow in Nigeria. Some also want to nationalise in a country they have not visited before and know nothing about. These players should also be asked if they would be ready to come to Nigeria and contribute their quota to the development of the game at the grassroots and also bear the pressure, as true Nigerians will face representing the country”, the Veteran basketball player advised.
“If some of these players are rushing to play for Nigeria because of the Olympics, they will abandon the team after the championship.The NBBF must look for players that have true passion for the country”.
Oyedeji further admitted that home-based players do not have the capacity to compete with overseas-based stars in the D’Tigers, positing that the leadership tussle in the federation has placed home-based players redundant in a disadvantaged position.
