Skambo decries absence of functional basketball league in Nigeria

Former D’Tigers player and current chairman of the Kaduna State Basketball Association, Pastor Skambo Morrison, has expressed concern over the prolonged absence of a functional and competitive basketball league in Nigeria. Speaking in a recent interview, the former international lamented the stagnation of the domestic basketball scene, describing it as detrimental to the development of […]

Former D’Tigers player and current chairman of the Kaduna State Basketball Association, Pastor Skambo Morrison, has expressed concern over the prolonged absence of a functional and competitive basketball league in Nigeria.

Speaking in a recent interview, the former international lamented the stagnation of the domestic basketball scene, describing it as detrimental to the development of basketball in the country.

According to Morrison, ongoing trust deficits and constitutional disputes within the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) remain key obstacles preventing the organization of a national league.

“There are serious trust issues and constitutional problems within the federation, which continue to hinder any effort to revive the league,” he stated.

He emphasized the urgent need for stakeholders to resolve internal conflicts and prioritize the growth of the game, warning that without a structured league, the future of basketball in Nigeria remains bleak.

“There are constitutional and trust issues with the NBBF board from organising the league. If you look at the D’Tigress, the bulk of the players are foreign based.

“We will be preparing for the World Cup soon and I won’t be surprised if the whole team is made up of foreign based players.

“I still don’t understand why the board is finding it difficult to get sponsors. If Zenith Bank could reward the girls with N200m, why can’t other brands come in?

“This is where the trust issues come in. We will keep struggling to run a league if there are no sponsors,” he stated.

Despite Nigeria’s strong reputation in African basketball Nigeria has lacked a functional domestic league since 2019.