Ugboaja: Nigeria must return to local basketball players

When did you start playing basketball?My life in basketball has really been on the fast lane. What I mean by that is that I started playing basketball in 1998 and I found myself going places almost immediately and that is why I always give glory to God and give to the less privileged. You are […]

When did you start playing basketball?
My life in basketball has really been on the fast lane. What I mean by that is that I started playing basketball in 1998 and I found myself going places almost immediately and that is why I always give glory to God and give to the less privileged.
You are a believer in grassroot basketball, can you tell us about your foundation?
I started the foundation because I feel a lot of talents are here in Nigeria. I can’t just be in America enjoying myself because it would be very bad of me. So, I came back to open my foundation just to give back to a lot of youths.
How many kids have you moved on the basketball ladder from your Foundation?
The foundation has helped over three hundred Nigerians. Moses Abraham just graduated from Gorge Town University and he is doing his Masters. Toyin Jekiri is going to the NBA and he is in the University of Maimi. Chidi Okeke just made the US Army all American. Today [28th December, 2014], he is in San Anthonio for the biggest game of his life. He is the first Nigerian to make All American and he came from the foundation.
Looking back at your humble beginning, you started with the Under 17 but we don’t have such now, what do you think the problem is?
If it will take me to sponsor the U17, I will. It will never die. I will talk with the President of Nigeria Basketball Federation. For me, U17 can never go because that is where we build the youths. If I had not played U17, I will never be somebody today. The youths must come back on board, the U17, U18, U21 must be brought back because we have to compete. All the boys coming out of high schools need to play some basketball.
Why did you opt out of the National team in 2013?
Yes, I didn’t play last year (2013) because things were not done properly. We made it to the Olympics but everybody was carried away thinking it was by their power.
What precisely were those things that were not rightly done?
They didn’t invite me for the Afro basketball competition. They feel they have arrived after Olympics and they didn’t even invite any of us. When Ike Diogu asked me to come and join the team in Olando, I asked him to tell them to take their phone calls, then I will come play for Nigeria but they didn’t.
You said so many things happened after the 2012 Olympics, what really happened?
Before we got to the Olympics, everybody was working together but as soon as we made it to the Olympics, words were said and they feel that we players from home don’t have a say. They felt we qualified for the Olympics because the American-based players were there. Usman Abubakar is the best player in the Nigerian league and West Africa as a whole today and how will the boy be brought to a tournament and never used. So, everyone backed out.
What is the issue between the US-based players and the home-based?
The US based players are good, I can’t dispute that but they said charity begins at home. If you don’t bring any player up from home, why do you have the league then? That is why we fell so much after the Olympics. I’m a foreign player, I don’t need to fight for the home-based players but I’m fighting for them because it’s the best for our national teams.
Are you saying the American/Nigerians are not committed?
Once you bring Nigerian-born Nigerians, they will kill themselves for the country. I told the coach [Ayo Bakare] that yes, you have these people [American/Nigerians], but we are the pillar. I started playing for Nigeria since U17, do you think I will leave a ball that is going away? I won’t, even when I see a blood.
Before the 2013 Afro Basketball competition you said the American-based basketball players will fail and they actually failed. Is the problem with the players or the technical crew?
I feel the coach is sentimental because if you don’t play for him [in his club], he will pay you back whenever he becomes the coach of the national team. He doesn’t understand that the game is bigger than that. He did not pick Nda Abu because he [Nda Abu] didn’t play for Comets.
Are you of the opinion that the home-based players can perform at the highest level?
Once you look out for your home-based, you are going to put them in a proper basketball channel. But when you don’t think about them, they can’t compete. When you look at our league, nothing is happening there. But I must state this; if you take a Nigerian player to go and play in London, they will play excellently because we have raw skills. They drafted me from Nigeria to the NBA directly. I was not having a lot of skills then, but I know if you shoot that ball, I will catch it. That is a skill on its own. Our boys can do it if you let them. We are always like hungry lions, once we come out, we want to impress everybody. The problem we have is that we don’t give the boys opportunity because all we do is to bring foreign players and rely on them.
What is the way forward?
We have a lot of talents in the country. When we begin to do things right, we will get back to the top. If I come to a camp and there is a try out, I even try out with the home-based because I want to see my strengths. Everything must be free and fair. That is what the Angolans do but in our own case, someone will be sitting down already having the list of players he will play before the camp starts.
If you are given the opportunity, what kind of coach will you recommend to take over the national team considering African games?
Our coaches here need help because they don’t have coaching programs. Most of our coaches are behind. Alfaruoq Aminu asked Coach Ayo Bakare that ‘What is our defensive rotation?’ he didn’t know it because he’s not been educated in that field. You can just sit here in Nigeria and coach for hundred years without improving yourself. But it they can’t do this, then we need foreign people to come and help them. I think the NBBF should stage a coaching course every three months. If the coaches have knowledge, the players will improve.
Are you satisfied with the state of basketball facilities in the country?
We need the government to help our facilities because the facilities we have is poor. If you check, we only have two federal government owned basketball gym in Nigeria and they are the worst gym ever. Even in the kindergarten school in America, their gym is better.
It is a general opinion that you can’t play in the same team with Olumide Oyedeji, how true is that?
No, it is not true. I love Olumide Oyedeji till death. It is not that he is my enemy but what my problem is, is for us to do the right thing. Olumide Oyedeji has a big body and he rebonds when he wants to play. When Olumide Oyedeji uses to play when I was watching him, I respect him. But once you are getting older, others have to take over. I respect him till today because he is my senior in all ramifications. So, I must be stupid to say Olumide Oyedeji is not a better player. People in Nigeria, all they want is to make us fight.
Why are you so passionate about basketball in Nigeria?
Once I put on the Green/White/Green, I’m a different person. If you see me, even when I’m on the bench, I will be sweating because I’m playing in my mind. This is because Nigeria has given me everything I wanted in life. If I had not worn that jersey, I will be nobody to tell you the truth. So, whenever I come out, I give my 110%.