Who Is Rena Wakama? Everything You Need to Know About the Nigerian Women’s Basketball Team’s Head Coach

Nigeria is satisfied. Nigeria’s ladies folk’s basketball team has obtained everybody’s hearts and save African basketball on the design as they changed into the foremost-ever team (Men or ladies folk) from the continent to waft throughout the quarter final within the Olympics. The girls folk, led by head coach Rena Wakama, scripted historical past as they triumphed over Canada 79-70. While the gamers were gleaming all through, credit rating has to flow to Wakama, who has utterly transformed the Nigerian basketball panorama in over a year. 

Rena Wakama used to be an unpopular title within the basketball world but she has completed wonders ever since she used to be appointed as a head coach of the national team final year in June. So as to add more weight to her appointment, Wakama used to be the foremost ever female who used to be given the fee of D’Tigress and unquestionably she has been out of the ordinary to this level. This day we delve into this player-changed into-head coach’s achievements and her profession background.

Rena Wakama’s Rush from Participant to Pioneer

So, the story begins in Raleigh, North Carolina, on April 11, 1992. That’s when Rena Wakama used to be born and caught the basketball trojan horse early, as a result of her cousin, Onimisi Aiyede. Wakama headed to Western Carolina University in 2010. She wasn’t exact there to take a seat down again; she used to be ballin’ arduous for the Catamounts! After grabbing her stage in Therapeutic Recreation, she made up our minds to stage up and bought an MBA from The ny College. 

Her pro basketball disappear kicked off in 2014 when she changed into an athlete of FIBA within the UK. Alternatively, Wakama had her patriotism calling, which pushed her to substitute worldwide locations and join FIBA Africa, representing Nigeria on the court. Rocking it for her nation, she played for Nigeria’s First Bank team within the Africa Champions Cup. The most indispensable breakthrough took space in Cameroon when she donned the Nigerian jersey in 2015 Girls folk’s AfroBasket match. Nonetheless wait, there’s more!

In 2017, Rena traded her jersey for a suit and changed into the Director of Basketball Operations at The ny College. She used to be the boss and handled budgets, costs, and all that admin stuff. She spent six seasons at The ny College, taking off because the Director and then transitioning to the goal of Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator for the final four.

Impartial now, she’s moreover an assistant coach for the Tulane University ladies folk’s basketball team. Sooner than becoming a member of Tulane, Wakama spent a year as an Assistant Coach at Stony Brook, starting in July 2023. Nonetheless let’s level of curiosity on the ongoing inviting chapter of her profession as head coach of D’Tigress. It’s been a remarkable year for Wakama.

Rena Wakama’s Affect on D’Tigress

Rena Wakama announced her title out loud when she led D’Tigress to their fourth consecutive 2023 AfroBasket title. She changed into the foremost girl to win the match. Effectively, it used to be exact the foremost of many milestones as later on Wakama helped her team to qualify for the Olympics.

And when everybody would possess idea Nigeria can possess one other Olympics to neglect mercurial, Wakama’s team tremulous everybody after they upset Australia of their first sport and gave Nigeria their first victory within the final Two decades. Alternatively, they’d a bump when hosts France overpowered them of their second sport.

Alternatively, with the victory against Canada, D’Tigress desires to be confident in regards to the avenue ahead. Rena Wakama’s disappear from an beneath-the-radar resolve to a trailblazing head coach has inspired a continent. Her management has elevated Nigeria’s ladies folk’s basketball team to ancient Olympic success, igniting hope and pleasure all the scheme through Africa, and he or she will be able to stare to proceed the story within the quarter finals.

Preserve tuned for more such updates and join us for the inviting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Uncover” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs huge title and SEC All-Freshman Personnel Different, Silas Demary Jr.