2020 NBA Draft class features record-high number of players of Nigerian origin – Newstrends
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2020 NBA Draft class features record-high number of players of Nigerian origin

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3 years ago

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More than the usual smattering of Nigerian eyes will be fixed on the NBA Draft on Wednesday, as a record-high chunk of the class is made up of Nigeria-origin players.
A total of seven players, two born in Nigeria, will be in consideration for pickup by some of the best basketball teams in the world.
Onyeka Okongwu is in the conversation for not just for the top 5 pick, but could well rival James Wiseman, Lamelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards for the number one overall pick.
Precious Achiuwa and Udoka Azubuike are the two who were born in Nigeria. If both are selected in the top 30, it would be the first time that two players from Nigeria are selected in the first round of the same NBA Draft.
Along with Achiuwa and Azubuike, there are also Onyeka Okongwu, Isaac Okoro, Zeke Nnaji, Daniel Oturu, and Jordan Nwora on the cards.
“I think it’s big,” Achiuwa said in a pre-Draft Zoom call with ESPN.
“It just shows there’s a big talent culture in Nigeria when it comes to basketball, athleticism and athletes as a whole in general.
“It speaks to how competitive we are and our willingness to be better in whatever we do.”
It is a testament both to how far the Nigerian community in the USA has come, and how much basketball has grown back home.
In 1984, when Akeem Olajuwon was drafted number one overall to the NBA — ahead of even Michael Jordan — he was the lone Nigerian, nay African, in that Draft Class.
It took another 10 years before the NBA drafted another player of Nigerian descent when the New Jersey Nets picked up Yinka Dare from George Washington, and another four years before Michael Olowokandi was drafted number one overall by the LA Clippers.
Thirty six years on from that first, pivotal draft, the 2020 NBA Draft Class — like the 2020 NFL Draft Class before it — boasts the highest number of players of Nigerian origin.
Nwora already represents Nigeria senior men’s basketball team. Oturu’s father, Francis, played table tennis for Nigeria.
Okongwu is in the conversation for not just for the top 5 pick, but could well rival James Wiseman, Lamelo Ball, and Anthony Edwards for the number one overall pick, and he is not shy about it.
“I feel like I’m higher than all of them,” he told ESPN. “I just do all the little things well. I just play basketball. I know how to win.”
Also projected to be a high pick is Isaac Okoro, the 6’6 shooting guard/small forward from Auburn.
All told, there are more than 30 current and former NBA players with Nigerian roots, including the likes of Andre Iguodala, Victor Oladipo, Bam Adebayo, and the Antetokounmpo brothers, led of course by legendary Hall of Famer Olajuwon.
Achiuwa said that it is a trend the current class will seek to carry on: “I think we have the opportunity to keep that legacy going, especially that Nigerian representation in the NBA.”
That representation has been helped in no small part by the work of a man who himself was in a similar position some 20 years ago.
Former Nigeria captain Olumide Oyedeji was drafted out of German team DJK Wurzburg [Dirk Nowitzki played there too] and has run basketball camps every year in Nigeria for 20 straight years until this year’s COVID-19 interruption.
Over 35 000 kids have passed through the camp in those 20 years, including Azubuike.
Oyedeji, who played three seasons in the NBA, projects that the number will rise in the future and also expects the players to continue to light the way for others.
“We are a country of about 200 million people and with the way Nigerians are migrating to the USA, don’t be surprised to see 20 in the next Draft Classes in the future,” Oyedeji told ESPN.
“We already have three projected to go in the lottery this year.
“It is a positive thing and I feel proud. For other people back home, it is just the same way. We just have to translate it to sports development back home.
“And they should know and remember where they come from because it goes beyond basketball.”
Pivotal to the increase in Nigerian names in the NBA is Fubara Onyanabo, a man whom many in Nigeria have barely heard of, but has mentored a long list of players, including some currently representing in Nigeria’s national team.
Achiuwa was not shy about paying tribute to Fubura, who coached the player’s elder brother: “He is doing a great job, advancing the game and making sure that the kids back home have a way to learn the game.
“He is providing resources for the kids and I think that that is absolutely big having someone that is so passionate about basketball back home. I think that is really important.”
Onyanabo, who has coached Nigeria’s national teams at various age levels, has been doing so since 2009. With no resources, he poured his heart and soul and money into running the basketball camps.
While he is gratified to see that his passion is bearing fruit thousands of miles away on a global stage, even if indirectly, his priorities are set differently.
“For me, it is a passion and a calling,” Onyanabo told ESPN. “After my playing career ended, I found that although kids around me loved basketball and loved watching the NBA, they did not have the right skills to play, so I decided to start training them.
“For me, it is not about talents that are exported outside Nigeria. It is the ability to keep these young people busy and channel their energy towards positive and productive ventures here in Nigeria.
“My fulfilment is the ability to put smiles on the faces of these kids. They don’t pay to learn or play basketball. We just want to keep them happy and away from trouble.”
Along with the Nigerians in the Draft Class, there is also some other history to be made at an African level.
The Draft also includes Mamadi Diakite, who was born in Guinea, Paul Eboua, born in Cameroon, Karim Mane and Lamine Diane, both born in Senegal. If they are all drafted it would break the record for the most players to be drafted from the continent. Four were drafted in 2016.
Whatever happens, Oyedeji has some words of advice: “The work starts when they are drafted. They have to be ready at all times, even if they are on the bench. Always be ready to be the next man up.”
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Diego Maradona’s golden ball trophy for auction in Paris

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11 hours ago

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May 8, 2024

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Diego Maradona’s golden ball trophy for auction in Paris

Diego Maradona’s Golden Ball trophy, which he earned as the best player in the 1986 World Cup, will be auctioned in France in June, according to the Aguttes auction house.

This is the first Golden Ball to be auctioned, and while the value has yet to be determined, the auction house anticipates it to earn millions on June 6.

Maradona, who died in 2020, won the award after leading Argentina to World Cup victory in Mexico, scoring five goals at the finals where he captained his country and played every minute of the tournament.

That tournament is probably best remembered for Maradona’s two goals against England in the quarter-finals.

Maradona out jumped England keeper Peter Shilton as he thumped in the first goal with a raised fist, which he later dubbed as being scored by the “Hand of God”.

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The second was an incredible mazy slalom run from his own half, when he dribbled past five English outfield players, and was voted as the “Goal of the Century”.

The jersey he wore that day, along with the ball from the match, have both previously been sold at auction.

After his display against England, Maradona went on to score the two goals which defeated Belgium in the semi-final and Argentina won a thrilling final 3-2 against West Germany.

The Golden Ball award was introduced at the 1982 World Cup, and its list of winners include Italy’s Paolo Rossi, Romario and Ronaldo of Brazil, Zinedine Zidane of France, while Argentine great Lionel Messi is the only player to have won the accolade twice.

Maradona’s award had disappeared before resurfacing among several trophy lots in an auction room.

Recently it was entrusted to Aguttes, which carried out an investigation into its provenance and managed to authenticate it as Maradona’s Adidas Golden Ball trophy.

Diego Maradona’s golden ball trophy for auction in Paris

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Dortmund whip PSG 2-0 aggregate to reach Champions League final

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12 hours ago

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May 8, 2024

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Dortmund whip PSG 2-0 aggregate to reach Champions League final

Borussia Dortmund produced a fine away performance to beat Paris St-Germain and reach their first Champions League final since 2013.

Dortmund held a 1-0 advantage following the first leg and doubled their lead when Mats Hummels was left unmarked five yards out to head in from Julian Brandt’s left-wing corner.

That goal came just after PSG’s Warren Zaire-Emery wasted a glorious chance as he volleyed against the post from close range early in the second half.

PSG hit the upright twice in the opening match in Germany and, after falling 2-0 behind on aggregate, again struck the post through Nuno Mendes.

The hosts thought they had been given a penalty and a potential lifeline when Italian referee Daniele Orsato pointed to the spot, only to instantly change his mind and rule that Hummels’ foul on Ousmane Dembele had been just outside the area.

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PSG have never been European champions, losing in the 2020 final, and Dortmund produced an excellent defensive display to frustrate the French title winners.

Kylian Mbappe, in his last European match for PSG before joining Real Madrid in the summer, had an effort deflected on to the crossbar, before Vitinha fired against the bar too – the sixth time overall his side had hit the frame of the goal in the tie.

The final will be at Wembley on Saturday, 1 June (20:00 BST) and could be an all-German affair, just as it was in May 2013 when Bayern Munich beat Dortmund 2-1 in London.

Bayern and Real are in the second 2024 semi-final and the first leg ended 2-2 in Germany, with the second leg in Spain on Wednesday (20:00 BST).

Dortmund are aiming to become European champions for the second time in their history after they defeated Juventus 3-1 in the 1997 final.

Dortmund whip PSG 2-0 aggregate to reach Champions League final

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Olise scores twice as Crystal Palace trash Manchester United

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1 day ago

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May 7, 2024

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Olise scores twice as Crystal Palace trash Manchester United

A Michael Olise masterclass helped Crystal Palace complete a first ever Premier League double over Manchester United and inflict further misery on Erik ten Hag’s team with a 4-0 drubbing in south London.

Olise has been linked with a summer switch to Old Trafford and run amok at Selhurst Park with a dazzling display, scoring twice to move on to nine goals in 12 league starts this season.

Two sparkling efforts by Olise in the 12th and 66th minutes bookended this latest superb result for Oliver Glasner’s side, with Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell also on target to make it four wins in five for Palace.

It was another sorry display for Ten Hag, though, with Jonny Evans and Casemiro given a torrid night.

Injury-hit United have won only two of their last 10 league matches and could be set for a lowest ever Premier League finish.

United had dropped to eighth after wins for Newcastle and Chelsea at the weekend, while the club’s injury list increased with Harry Maguire and Bruno Fernandes not available for this clash.

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Evans was fit enough to start, but he endured a nervy opening and had to block an early Olise shot after his own poor clearance before Palace wanted a penalty when Evans challenged Mitchell in the area.

Referee Jarred Gillett, who was wearing a small camera for this fixture to help provide insight into the demands of top-level officiating, ignored the appeals.

However, Ten Hag’s side did not heed the warning of how dangerous Olise can be as he broke the deadlock in the 12th minute.

Olise skipped away from Christian Eriksen and left Casemiro sprawled on the floor by the centre circle before he drilled a shot into the bottom corner, having been given the freedom of Selhurst Park by United’s backpedalling defence

It was a wonderful effort from Olise, but one to forgot for the visitors and a sign of things to come.

Two more Olise efforts were repelled, one accidentally by his team-mate Mateta before Andre Onana saved after another fine Palace move.

A brief response occurred from United with a free-kick by Eriksen deflected over and they had the ball in the net through a Casemiro header after 27 minutes, but it was ruled out as Rasmus Hojlund had barged into Palace goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

It looked the correct decision, although Ten Hag appeared bemused when in discussion with fourth official Graham Scott on the touchline.

Five minutes before half-time and United’s bank holiday trip to the capital went from bad to worse.

Eberechi Eze and Chris Richards combined and the latter passed into Mateta, who sped away from Evans far too easily and unleashed a powerful strike into the roof of the net for his eighth goal in nine appearances.

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United had to wait until the 51st minute to have their first shot on target, but Antony’s 22-yard curler was routine for Henderson.

Casemiro had another goal ruled out 60 seconds later when he knocked in the rebound after heading against a post. The makeshift centre-back had drifted offside before Eriksen’s free-kick.

Those fleeting forays for United only momentarily interrupted the Olise show as his skill should have resulted in a third for Palace, but Eze curled wide.

Mitchell was next to go close as Onana thwarted his near-post effort before Will Hughes had a half-volley clawed away.

United’s respite did not last long as a perfectly-weighted chipped pass by Adam Wharton found Joachim Andersen, who teed up Mitchell for a 58th-minute tap-in.

Not long after Hojlund had calls for a spot-kick turned down, Olise made it 4-0 with 24 minutes left.

Daniel Munoz was too strong for Casemiro and teed up Olise, who brilliantly curled beyond Onana from 16 yards before he celebrated with Glasner.

There would be no hat-trick for Olise as he was replaced in the 85th minute and United avoided further embarrassment in stoppage time when Odsonne Edouard hit a post on a night to remember for Palace.

Olise scores twice as Crystal Palace trash Manchester United

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