Basketball
With Nigeria demystifying US, ‘Dream Team’s era coming to an end?
Team USA have dominated men’s basketball at the Olympics, winning six of the seven gold medals available – and earning the iconic ‘Dream Team’ nickname.
Following the inclusion of professional players in 1992, they have boasted NBA legends such as Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
But there are concerns these Olympics could be a repeat of the 2004 Games, where Argentina upset them in the semi-finals before going on to beat Italy.
The Americans have struggled in their preparations for Tokyo, suffering shock warm-up defeats by Nigeria and Australia, followed by back-to-back wins over Argentina and Spain.
Despite those victories, there are still problems for Gregg Popovich’s team as Bradley Beal and Kevin Love were forced to pull out because of Covid protocols and injury respectively. Zach LaVine, though, has now been cleared to travel after initially being withdrawn through Covid protocols.
“I think I am going to play for the Tune Squad” said LeBron James following the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round exit in the NBA play-offs.
Preferring to promote the sequel to the Space Jam movie this summer, it will be the second straight Olympics without the two-time gold medallist – and he will not be the only top star missing.
Anthony Davis has not recovered from a groin injury that kept him to a very limited role in the Lakers’ series loss to Phoenix Suns.
Seven-time NBA All-Star Stephen Curry, who has yet to win an Olympic gold medal, has also opted out.
It seems the biggest names are now prioritising rest and recovery in order to prepare for another run at the NBA championship.
But it would be unwise to dismiss the quality this team boasts. They still have six-time All-Star Damian Lillard, Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and NBA Finals MVP Kevin Durant in their ranks.
‘We are still working at becoming a team’
“These international teams are experienced and we are still working at becoming a team” said Lillard after their 91-83 loss against Australia.
“None of us have ever played with each other. We’re just trying to figure it out,” said Tatum after their 90-87 defeat by Nigeria, which showed Team USA are struggling to hit their stride as a unit.
That problem may get worse when Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Devin Booker arrive after playing in the NBA Finals, with Popovich unsure of how they will fit in.
Team USA men’s fixtures Sunday, 25 July, 13:00 BST v France Wednesday, 28 July, 05:40 BST v Iran Saturday, 31 July, 13:00 BST v Czech Republic
Quality of the opposition
Lillard added: “We’re not just going to roll the ball out and beat these teams. These teams have a starting five of NBA players now.”
That was true of their Australian opponents, with the Boomers able to call upon Patty Mills, Joe Ingles and Matisse Thybulle.
There is also an abundance of NBA talent among the other nations. Slovenia are led by Luka Doncic and France’s talent is highlighted by three-time defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert.
But the biggest strength for these teams is their familiarity. They have mostly been able to keep the core of their players together for multiple competitions, helping them build much-needed chemistry.
While the USA still possess the best players at the Olympics, it seems their place at the top of the podium is under serious threat.
Women’s team suffers warm-up wobbles
Team USA women’s basketball side will be chasing a seventh straight Olympic gold when their tournament starts on 27 July.
They have won their last 49 Olympic matches – a run stretching back to Atlanta in 1996 – but have suffered the same issues as the men in their preparations.
It is still a team with so much quality, including seven first overall WNBA draft picks led by Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird, who have racked up eight Olympic and seven World Cup gold medals between them.
“USA Basketball has never been in a better place,” said US Olympic team head coach Dawn Staley prior to the team’s three warm-up encounters.
But it didn’t take long for concerns to surface as they lost back-to-back games against the WNBA All-Stars and Australia.
Team USA women’s team fixtures Tuesday, 27 July, 05:40 BST v Nigeria Friday, 30 July, 05:40 BST v Japan Monday, 2 August, 05:40 BST v France
A hip injury has also meant Taurasi, 39, is yet to play, but the team will still benefit from her experience and leadership off the court.
There was welcome good news with a 93-62 success in the final warm-up match against Nigeria, who they will face in their opening match in Tokyo.
And despite their wobbles, Staley’s side are still favourites to triumph when the contest ends on Sunday, 8 August.
-BBC
By Ugo Okeiyi, Enugu
The end-of-year Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational Tournament, tagged “Championing the Youth Through Sports, Education and Opportunity,” has taken off and will be concluded on Friday. The three-day event is taking place at the Indoor Sports Multipurpose Gymnasium, Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu.
The grassroots basketball competition is designed to serve as a platform for discovering and nurturing the next generation of Nigerian basketball talent.
A total of 14 teams — eight male and six female sides drawn from across the country — are competing for honours in what promises to be an exciting three-day basketball spectacle.
The tournament is powered by the Anthony Ozubuekwe Foundation, in collaboration with the Enugu State Ministry for Youth and Sports Development and the Enugu State Basketball Association.
Organisers say fans should expect high-quality action, with displays of skill, athleticism and tactical awareness from some of the most promising young players in the country.
According to the organisers, the initiative is structured to positively engage young people, steering them away from social vices and criminal tendencies, while using sports as a tool for education, personal development and opportunity creation.
They added that the tournament will also give coaches and team officials a valuable opportunity to assess the mental readiness, discipline and competitive mindset of the players, while providing a conducive environment for athletes to interact, bond and learn from one another.
The competition will be played in a round-robin format, with attractive prize money on offer. In the men’s category, the champions will receive ₦2 million and a giant trophy, while the runners-up will earn ₦1.5 million.
In the women’s category, the winning team will go home with ₦1.5 million, while the second-placed team will receive ₦750,000.
With its blend of competition, youth empowerment and community development, the Ozobz Elite Basketball Invitational is expected to be one of the standout grassroots sports events of the year in Enugu State.
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Former head coach of Nigeria’s men’s basketball team, Alex Nwora, will join family, friends and well-wishers on December 28, 2025, to celebrate the 90th birthday of his father, Chief Charles Okwudi Nworah, in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The milestone celebration, according to Evelyn Childs, Public Relations Officer of the US-based Imo Women Elite Club (IWEC), will take place at the expansive Onitsha compound of the nonagenarian, who is highly regarded in his community.
Born on April 17, 1936, to Akudo and Agnes Nwora of the Okakwu family in Ogbedogwu Village, Onitsha, Chief Nworah’s early years reflected strong family values rooted in education and public service. He attended St. Mary’s Catholic School before moving on to Prince Commercial College, and later completed his secondary education at Baptist High School, Osogbo, in Osun State.
Chief Nworah began his career in the civil service at a young age with the Post and Telecommunications Service (P&T), where his father also served and retired as a senior manager. His professional journey continued seamlessly into Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) following the merger of P&T with the Nigerian External Telecommunications.
Alex Nwora, who led D’Tigers through notable periods of growth and international competition, is expected to play a central role in the celebration, which will bring together members of the extended Nwora family and the Onitsha community to honour the life and legacy of the elder statesman.
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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred national honours on all members of Nigeria’s women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, in recognition of their historic victory at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket Championship in Côte d’Ivoire.
Each member of the team was decorated with the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) title at a special reception held on Monday at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Representing the president at the event was Vice President Kashim Shettima, who announced a series of generous rewards for the champions.
In addition to the national honours, each player will receive $100,000, while each member of the technical crew will be given $50,000. The government also pledged a flat in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to every player and official on the squad.
The rewards follow D’Tigress’s emphatic 78-64 win over Mali in Sunday’s AfroBasket final, played at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan. The victory marked Nigeria’s fifth consecutive AfroBasket title, a feat unmatched in the tournament’s history. With the triumph, D’Tigress also secured an automatic berth to the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
President Tinubu, in his remarks delivered by Vice President Shettima, hailed the team’s resilience, determination, and consistency, describing their dominance on the continental stage as a symbol of national pride and inspiration to the youth.
Present at the reception were First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, Chief of Staff to the President, Garba Maidoki, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Youths and Sports Development, and Kabiru Amadou, Chairman of the House Committee on Sports.
The honours and incentives underscore the government’s renewed commitment to recognising excellence in sports and motivating future champions.
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