Post by Basketball News (@basketballnews)

The Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) has appointed David Fizdale as the new head coach of D’Tigers, the nation’s men’s basketball team.

The Former NBA coach was hired with aspirations of leading the country to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Fizdale has an NBA regular-season head coaching record of 71-134 with the Memphis Grizzlies (2016-17) and New York Knicks (2018-19). The 51-year-old most recently coached in the #NBA as an assistant with the Phoenix Suns from 2023 to 2025.

Fizdale currently serves as an analyst for NBA TV and will be coaching a national men's basketball program for the first time.

"It will be fun and exciting calling timeouts and drawing plays up again as a head coach," Fizdale said. "It will be good to get back in that mindset of preparation and motivation. That is going to be fun and exciting as well. But the biggest fact is the nostalgia and what is driving me to get to L.A. What is driving me the most is helping Nigeria not only qualify and medal, but to do that in front of my family. That would be the most special thing."

Nigeria's men's basketball team has made three Olympic appearances in 2012, 2016 and 2020, but has never medaled.

Fizdale is now the seventh foreign coach of D’Tigers and the sixth American to lead the team.

#DTigers #Basketball #Sports #DavidFizdale #News

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