Rena Wakama, the first Nigerian female basketball coach, has been honored as the ‘Best Coach’ at this year’s Olympics after leading D’Tigress to historic accomplishments in Paris.
The 32-year-old received recognition from FIBA and the Olympic organizers for guiding D’Tigress to the tournament’s quarter-finals, marking the first time in the team’s history.
Under Wakama’s leadership, Nigeria secured its first-ever Olympic basketball victory. D’Tigress began their campaign with a stunning upset over third-ranked Australia. Wakama’s coaching also led to a surprising win against fifth-ranked Canada in the final group game, securing Nigeria’s first appearance in the knockout stage.
This achievement made D’Tigress the first African team, male or female, to reach the last eight of the Olympic basketball tournament. Despite eventually falling to the United States in the quarter-finals, the team’s performance was widely praised.
In a blog post on Sunday, FIBA lauded Wakama’s D’Tigress for delivering “the most impactful performance by an African team in history” at the Olympic basketball competitions. They credited Wakama’s leadership as a key factor in Nigeria’s unprecedented success.
“Nigeria made everyone sit up and take notice by beating Australia on opening day, marking their first Group phase win,” the post noted. “A few days later, Nigeria stunned Canada, becoming the first African team to secure two wins at the Games, with their tenacious defense playing a pivotal role.”
“This victory earned them a spot in the knockout phase, making them the first African team in history, men or women, to compete in the Olympic Quarter-Finals. Although their journey ended with a loss to the USA, they displayed remarkable fighting spirit and qualities until the very end.”
FIBA also highlighted Wakama as “one of the youngest coaches in Olympic history who has set a new benchmark for Nigerian and African basketball.”
Born in Raleigh, North Carolina, Wakama was appointed head coach of the Nigerian women’s basketball team in June 2023. Under her guidance, D’Tigress triumphed over Senegal 84-74 in the final of the Women’s Afrobasket Championship in August 2023. This victory made Nigeria the second African country to win the Women’s Afrobasket title four consecutive times.
🧠 Best coach of #Paris2024 Women's Basketball
Rene Wakama, Nigeria 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/iAe0eh4Rso
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 11, 2024