2021 Afrobasket Qualifiers: D’Tigers Boss Mike Brown Names Six New Players In 20 Man Provisional List

D’Tigers head coach Mike Brown has called up 20 players for the 2021 Afrobasket qualifiers holding in Kigali, Rwanda between 27-29 November.

American Brown in his first official act since his appointment as head coach of the men’s national team, named seven players who featured  at the 2019 FIBA World Cup where Nigeria qualified for the Olympics in Tokyo.

Captain, Ike Diogu is back in the squad alongside 29-year-old Stan Okoye (Gran Canaria), Ben Uzoh, Ike Iroegbu, Talib Zanna, Ekpe Udoh and Michael Eric.

2015 NBA champion with Golden State Warriors, Festus Ezeli has been called up for the first time alongside other new faces including Real Betis power forward Obi Enechionyia, Busan KT Sonicboom centre Ogbunu John and Rasheed Sulaimon who plays for Casademont Zaragoza.

2015 Afrobasket winner Mike Gbinije returns to the team and after being left out of the final 12 man team to the world cup, France-based Ike Nwamu returns alongside Tonye Jekiri, Christopher Obekpa, Braxton Ogbueze, Mike Efevberha and Obinna Emegano who at some point featured during the team’s 2019 qualifiers series.

Chima Moneke who has averaged 12.3pts and 5.8rebs in 4 games for Orléan in the French league has also been called up for the first time alongside Zaid Christopher Hearst-Okpalannaka who plies his trade in the second tier of the French league.

Full List

Stan Okoye, Small Forward, Club Baloncesto Gran Canaria (Spain)Ikechukwu Nwamu, Shooting Guard Cholet (France);

Ike Iroegbu, Point Guard Capital City Go-Go (NBA G League, USA)

Talib Zanna, Centre, Hapoel Tel Aviv B.C  (Israel)

Chima Moneke, Power Forward, Orléans Loiret Basket (France)

Obinna Enechionyia, Power Forward, Real Betis (Spain)

Michael Gbinije, Shooting Guard, BC Nevėžis (Lithuania)

Obi Emegano, Shooting Guard, Baloncesto Fuenlabrada (Spain)

Mike Efevberha, Shooting Guard, JA Vichy-Clermont Métropole (France)

Michael Eric, Centre, Turk Telekom Basketball (Turkey)

Tonye Jekiri, Centre, Club Deportivo Saski-Baskonia (Spain)

Rasheed Sulaimon, Shooting Guard Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)

Zaid Hearst-Okpalannaka, Shooting Guard, Antibas (France) 

Ekpe Udoh, Centre, Beijing Ducks (China)

Ben Uzoh, Point Guard, Paris Basketball, (France)

Christopher Obekpa, Centre, (Unattached)

Ike Diogu, Centre, Shimane Susanoo Magic (Japan)

Braxton Ogbueze, Guard, Coruna (Spain)

Festus Ezeli, Centre, (Unattached)

John Ogbunu, Centre, Busan KT Sonicboom, (South Korea)