David Fizdale Named D’Tigers Head Coach for 2028 Olympics

David Fizdale has been appointed as the head coach of Nigeria's national basketball team, D’Tigers, as confirmed by the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF) on Saturday. This appointment is part of a long-term plan aimed at strengthening Nigeria's technical structure and building a squad capable of sustained success at the elite international level.

Fizdale, a 51-year-old American, has previously served as head coach for the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, and most recently worked as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns. He is tasked with leading Nigeria's push toward the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

The qualification journey will commence with the FIBA Basketball World Cup African qualifiers in Luanda, where Nigeria will compete against Angola, Guinea, Tunisia, and Rwanda. NBBF President Musa Kida stated that this appointment reflects the federation's ambition to build a globally competitive structure, building on the groundwork laid by former national team coach Mike Brown, who led the team during the 2020 Summer Olympics.