Last April, Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie acquired a Nigerian passport and announced his intention to play for the Nigerian men’s basketball team in the next Olympics. Dinwiddie joins fellow NBA players Al-Farouq Aminu, Josh Okogie, Chimezie Metu, and Ekpe Udoh to play for coach Mike Brown’s team.
In the history of the NBA, there have been a total of 21 Nigerians to play in the league including 12 foreign-born Nigerians. The list includes 2019 NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo who played for the Greek national team but was born to Nigerian parents.
We’ve taken Giannis and his brother from our list because they are officially Greek citizens. But even without them, Nigeria has sent a strong representation in the history of the NBA. Here are the best Nigerian basketball players to play in the NBA:
There is no doubt about who the best Nigerian basketball player to set foot in the NBA. Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon left his hometown of Lagos to join Guy Lewis’ University of Houston Cougars in the NCAA. After leading the Cougars to three trips to the NCAA Final Four, Olajuwon was drafted first overall by the Houston Rockets in 1984, in the same draft where Michael Jordan was picked 3rd overall. Olajuwon averaged 20.6 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.68 blocks per game during his rookie season and he finished runner-up in the Rookie of the Year voting to Jordan. Olajuwon would lead the Rockets to back to back NBA titles in 1994 and 1995. And he would go on to win two Finals MVP, two Defensive Player of the Year awards, one NBA MVP trophy.
This one comes as a surprise. Spencer Dinwiddie was born an American but after he was not included among the 44 finalists for the US Men’s Basketball team to the next Olympics, Dinwiddie shocked the world, Nigeria included, when he announced that he was acquiring a Nigerian passport so he could play for the Olympics. So now that he’s Nigerian, Dinwiddie is part of this list. The 27-year old from California played three seasons for the University of Colorado in the NCAA before he was drafted 38th overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2014. He was traded to the Bulls before he signed with the Nets in 2016. He’s improved every year since he has been in Brooklyn and during the 2019-20 season, Dinwiddie put up career numbers at 20.6 points and 6.8 assists per game.
Kelenna Azubuike played for coach Tubby Smith at the University of Kentucky and was the SEC’s 8th leading scorer as a junior in 2005. He helped the Wildcats win two Southeastern Conference, two SEC Tournament titles, and two appearances in the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight. He left after his junior season but was undrafted. Azubuike ended up playing for the Golden State Warriors and he also had a stint with the Dallas Mavericks. He entered the Sportscasting U. program at Syracuse University and has been a sportscaster by profession since 2016.
The Candy Man is the second Nigerian to be drafted first overall in the NBA draft after Hakeem Olajuwon. The 7-0 center from Lagos was a late bloomer as he first held a basketball when he was already 17 years old. He traveled to the United States three years later and attended the University of Pacific. As a senior in 1997, Olowakandi led the Tigers to the 1998 National Invitation Tournament. He was the 1997-98 Big West Player of the Conference and was drafted first overall in 1998 by the Los Angeles Clippers. He never found his mark in the NBA and after also playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics, he retired in 2007 after battling different injuries.
Al-Farouq Aminu was one of the top college recruits in 2008 after starring for Norcross High School in Georgia. He played college ball at Wake Forest and spent two years with the Demon Deacons. Aminu was an All-Freshman first team member during his first year and an All-ACC second-team member during his sophomore year with Wake Forest. He was the 8th overall pick of the 2010 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Clippers and was traded to the New Orleans Pelicans the following season. Aminu also had stints with the Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers before signing with the Orlando Magic last season. He missed the 2019-20 season with a torn meniscus in his right knee. Aminu was a member of the Nigerian team which won the gold medal at the 2015 FIBA African Championship.
Ike Diogu’s parents moved to the United States to pursue their education. Diogu was born in New York but holds a Nigerian passport. He played under coach Rob Evans at Arizona State University, winning Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors during his first season and Pac-12 Player of the Year as a junior. Diogu was the Golden State Warriors’ 9th overall pick in 2005. He played for a total of six NBA teams and had stints for several teams in China’s CBA. Diogu played for the Nigerian team in the 2015 and 2017 FIBA African Championships.
Udoka starred for Portland State University and after he was undrafted in 2000, he started his professional career with the NBDL. Udoka was the 3rd pick of the 2005 NBDL Draft by the Fort Worth Flyers. He signed with the Knicks and also had stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs. He was a member of the Spurs’ team which won the 2014 NBA title. Udoka was also key in San Antonio’s signing of LaMarcus Aldridge whom he played with in Portland. He worked as an assistant coach for the Spurs from 2012-2019 and was hired as an assistant by the Sixers in 2019.
Festus Ezeli wanted to become a physician so his parents sent him to a doctor-uncle in the United States to study. However, the then 6-8 Ezeli got into basketball and ended up playing for Vanderbilt in the NCAA. Ezeli spent his first two college seasons backing up Australian prospect A.J. Ogilvy but after the latter left for the NBA, Ezeli shone when the spotlight was on him. He made the SEC Second Team as a junior and was one of the Top 20 prospects in the nation during his senior year. He was picked 30th overall by the Golden State Warriors in 2012 and he stayed long enough to make two Finals appearances with the Dubs, even winning the NBA title in 2016.
Yinka Dare was discovered by Nigerian lawyer Lloyd Ukwu during a visit to Lagos. Ukwu brought him to the United States where he played one year for Milford Academy before heading to George Washington University in the NCAA. Dare led the Colonials to the NCAA Sweet 16 as a freshman and the Tournament’s second round the following year. Dare is George Washington’s all-time leader in blocked shots. He was picked 14th overall by the New Jersey Nets in 1994 but lasted until 1998 in the NBA. He played in the CBA and USBL until 2003 but died due to a cardiac arrest in 2004.
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