Coach of Nigeria’s senior women’s basketball team D’Tigress, Rena Wakama, has been crowned Best Coach of Paris 2024 Olympics Women’s Basketball.
Wakama made history in Paris 2024 as the first coach to lead an African basketball team (men or women) to the quarter final of the Olympic Games, where they narrowly lost 74-88 to eventual Women’s Basketball champion, USA.
The USA Women’s basketball team won its eighth straight Olympic gold medal in a row after defeating France 67-66 in a close final at the Bercy Arena on Sunday.
The 32-year-old, who took over as D’Tigress coach just over a year ago, led D’Tigress to two historic wins at the Games, becoming the first African basketball team to record two wins at the Olympics basketball tournament.
In their first group match in Lille, France, Nigeria’s women’s basketball team recorded their first Olympic win in 20 years, a 75-62 win over favourites Australia.
Despite a loss to host France in the other group game, D’Tigress made history last Sunday after beating Canada 79-70 to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“One of the youngest coaches in Olympic history. Wakama delivered a new high tide mark for Nigeria and for African basketball,” FIBA stated.
“It was the most impactful performance by an African team in history at the Olympic Basketball Tournaments and one of the main drivers of Nigeria’s unprecedented success was the leadership of playcaller Rena Wakama.”
