NBA Star Bane Eyes Nigeria Switch Ahead Of 2028 Olympics

Nigeria’s hopes of Olympic basketball success could receive a boost, with Orlando Magic’s Desmond Bane saying he wants to “make something happen” and recruit fellow NBA stars to D’Tigers’ cause.

Bane is officially listed as American by the NBA but has Nigerian heritage and is yet to represent any nation on the international stage.

Having qualified for their first Olympics at London 2012, Nigeria’s basketball team went on to also compete at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, but missed out on the 2024 Games in Paris.

“I would for sure,” said the shooting guard when asked about the possibility of answering the call if it came.

“We just need to get all the Nigerians together for the Olympics coming up in the next couple years and make something happen.”

Houston Rockets guard Josh Okogie, who was born in Lagos but raised in the USA, is already a Nigeria international, but Bane says he has had conversations with other players about joining up.

“I’d talk to Aaron Nesmith (Indiana Pacers),” the 27-year-old told BBC Sport. “Me and Gabe Vincent (Los Angeles Lakers) also talked about it a little bit. We need to do it.”

Forwards Precious Achiuwa and Adem Bona of the Sacramento Kings and Philadelphia 76ers respectively are also Nigerian-listed NBA players.

Currently ranked 50th in governing body Fiba’s world rankings, Nigeria have dropped to 7th among African nations.

And D’Tigers are far from certain to reach the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

Their first chance could come through the 2027 Fiba World Cup in Qatar, where they would have to finish as the highest-ranked of the five African nations who will compete.

But they will have to qualify first, and currently sit third in their first round group behind Guinea and Tunisia.

There will also be a separate African Olympic qualification competition featuring six nations, with the winner booking a spot in LA.

Bane has just finished taking part in this year’s NBA Global Games, with Orlando beating the Memphis Grizzlies in Berlin before losing the return fixture in London.

Speaking in Germany, NBA commissioner Adam Silver again talked up the possibility of a new European continental league, to add to the Basketball Africa League which has been running since 2021 and is also backed by the NBA.

Bane is impressed by the growing global impact and talent pool.

“I think it’s great. You hear about NBA Europe and talking about Nigeria, there’s so many talented players everywhere.”

Source: BBC

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