Rena Wakama, the dynamic coach of the D’Tigress, is optimistic about the future of Nigerian women’s basketball.
Following a historic performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where her team reached the quarter-finals, Wakama believes that even greater achievements are on the horizon.
In her debut as head coach, Wakama led the D’Tigress to a quarter-final finish, making her mark as the first female coach to lead an African basketball team to this level at the Olympics.
Her leadership and strategic prowess have been instrumental in this success, underscoring her belief in the team’s potential.
Wakama’s optimism stems from the team’s impressive performances and the historic milestones they’ve achieved, including their first win at the Olympics in 20 years and her role in leading them to their first quarter-final appearance.
Despite a challenging 74-88 loss to the USA in the quarter-finals, she remains hopeful and enthusiastic about the future.
“The future is bright,” Wakama said after the intense match. “We have the talent and determination to achieve even more. But to reach those heights, we need to invest more in basketball.”
Her forward-looking vision and commitment to development promise an exciting future for the D’Tigress, setting the stage for continued growth and success on the global stage.
“We’ve got to give these girls the resources and the support for them to be able to get to the podium and get a medal; we’re capable of it.”
The beauty of this D’Tigress at Paris 2024 was the fact that this was a wholly Nigerian team with Wakama as the head of these happy-go-lucky ladies that shone at the Olympics.
“Everyone on the team is Nigerian,” Wakama, a native of Okrika in Rivers State but born and bred in the USA, further said. “We have the talent and we don’t have to go get anybody from outside like other teams.
“We’re all Nigerian born and raised, but we have to invest in the future; invest in sports, and then we are ready to face the rest of the world.
“We have already inspired the world with the determination with which they have played,” she affirmed.
There was no doubting the fact that Wakama has developed an uncanny synergy with the D’Tigress and she did emphasise that she was truly ‘lovin it’ with her wards following their historic performance in Paris.
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“This (basketball) is my ministry,” she said with some smiles after veteran broadcaster Deji Omotoyinbo pressed her about the possibility of joining a WNBA team post-Paris Olympics. “I don’t even know about the rumours.
“I have come down to work and this is my ministry. But wherever God wants me to go, I’ll go.
“But right now, I’m happy where I am.”
Wakama, holder of a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the Western Carolina University, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Manhattan College, would be the first to admit the magnitude of D’Tigress’ remarkable achievements in Paris, enthusing: “It’s huge and I know there are wars and fights back home (in Africa), but everyone was united on each of our match days and everybody was happy about what we were doing out here.”
She further said. “Of course, I’m happy we could do that and it’s just a testament that sport matters to the world.
“I’m here today because of sports and we wish there would be many more avenues for intelligent women to be in more leadership positions.
“I’m so proud of what we’ve done; and I’m happy we have been able to do this in one year and I think this is just the beginning.”
Would she carry on with the D’Tigers? Wakama said with emphasis: “Of course, I’m a Nigerian; this is home, and I took this job because I’m a Nigerian.
“I want to inspire a lot of people about Nigeria and women’s basketball in general.
“I’m now looking forward to the development of the young girls out there because of what we have achieved here at the Olympics .
“We came here as the number 12 but now we are number eight, and I’m super proud.”
They say that ’the future depends on what you do today’ and with her usual girlish voice, Wakama, who represented Nigeria’s First Bank at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women during her career as a player, declared:
“The future? I don’t know, but I know the future is great. I will continue to work and I pray all these girls will be ready for LA 2028.”