Nigeria’s preparations for the upcoming 2023 Afrobasket Women’s Championship in Rwanda have encountered a major setback, as several players who were expected to participate in the tryouts have refused to join the exercise.
Read Also: Tottenham Emerges as Front-Runner in Race to Sign Super Eagles-Eligible Defender
This unfortunate development has raised concerns about the availability of top-quality players for the tournament.
The newly-appointed coach of the Nigerian women’s basketball team, Rena Wakama, faced a significant setback when the second day of tryouts, scheduled to take place from July 8 to 11 in Chicago, was cancelled due to a lack of sufficient players.
As a result, the tryouts will now be relocated to Abuja, Nigeria, where both domestic and overseas-based players will have a chance to showcase their skills in a screening process that will take place less than ten days before the start of the Afrobasket Championship.
Unfortunately, some established stars within the Nigerian women’s basketball team have decided to boycott the tryouts, considering them an insult to the players. Oderah Chidom, a key player from the team that won the Afrobasket Championship in 2019, recently announced her decision to quit the team, citing a perceived lack of professionalism from the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF).
Chidom expressed her disappointment, stating that the open tryouts, which were announced on Instagram just three weeks before the tournament, were the final straw for her.
In her statement to ESPN, Chidom emphasized her belief that as a professional player with an impressive resume, it was unreasonable for her to bear the expenses of trying out for a national team. She expressed disappointment with the way Nigerian basketball has been managed, particularly following the team’s withdrawal from the FIBA World Cup.
Chidom highlighted that national team selections are typically conducted by inviting a group of professionals to compete in a camp, from which the best 12 players are selected to represent the country.
The situation has raised concerns about the availability of top-quality players for the Nigerian women’s basketball team in the Afrobasket Championship.
The absence of some established stars and the limited time for the tryouts could potentially hinder the team’s ability to field a highly competitive roster.
With the tournament quickly approaching, it remains to be seen how the Nigerian basketball authorities will address this setback and ensure the selection of a strong team capable of defending their title in the upcoming Afrobasket Women’s Championship.
