Ogwumike: Why I turned down Nigeria for USA

How did you get involve with basketball? Basketball worked out for us but when we started. We were so horrible. We were the worst. We didn’t even have what other players had. We will wear jeans short and we just see it happening. There is one thing with the Nigerian parents, they will say: ‘I […]

How did you get involve with basketball?
Basketball worked out for us but when we started. We were so horrible. We were the worst. We didn’t even have what other players had. We will wear jeans short and we just see it happening. There is one thing with the Nigerian parents, they will say: ‘I don’t care about what you are doing, you are just going to do it to the best of your ability.’ We were like ‘why are you forcing us to play basketball?’ But at the end, it ended up working out for us.
What is your impression of the Nigerian-based women basketball players?
I just think that we need to continue to support the game and people sponsoring basketball. Also, we should ensure that we have great courts, shoes and everything that is necessary to make basketball available all over the continent, not just Nigeria, not just Abuja. I think the will is there to play basketball, we just have to meet the will and I think that is already happening and I think there is a lot of momentum with basketball in Africa.
Why did you choose to represent the USA instead of Nigeria?
It is because I was born and raised in the United States and I learned the game of basketball in the United States. Again, basketball in US has given me the opportunity to go to Cypress [Cypress Fairbanks High School] and I think anybody who is given that opportunity will take it.
Why the sudden interest in Nigeria?
I was born and raised in Houston but we maintained our cultural heritage and come back to Nigeria almost every year to visit my family and friends but now, with the platform my sister [Nneka Ogwumike] and I have created with basketball, being a WNBA and making history, we realised that we have the opportunity to touch lives and to spread basketball in Nigeria. I have always being back here in Nigeria. It is just that now people have started noticing me a little bit more.
What is being done differently in the US that can help improve basketball in Nigeria?
The attitude is there but we need to continue to create the atmosphere that will allow the game to grow. More facilities should be provided in a way that anybody should be able to find a gym accessible if they wanted to play and practice. Everyone here [Nigeria Basketball Federation] are doing well but we need to bring more people on board so that it will become super competitive like it is competitive in Europe and the United States.
What is your project here in Nigeria?
My work here is multifaceted. I work with volunteer camp in Benin where I work as a volunteer coach. I have worked with the NBA Africa and I have had a great relationship with the President of the NBBF in helping to expand the game and help run camps from the grassroots level.