Rena Wakama, head coach of the Nigerian women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has been crowned the best coach in the women’s basketball event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Before her Olympic success, Wakama also made history as the first coach to lead D’Tigress to an Afrobasket title since the competition’s inception in 1966, which has now added another milestone to her remarkable career.
Under Wakama’s leadership, D’Tigress made a historic run to the quarter-finals of the Paris Olympics basketball tournament for the first time in the team’s history. This achievement also marked the first time any African basketball team, male or female, reached the quarterfinals in Olympic history.
Despite their eventual 74-88 loss to the U.S. women’s basketball team, Wakama’s team made a strong impression on the global stage.
D’Tigress stunned world number three Australia in their opening game and secured an impressive victory against world number five in their final group match. Their journey to the quarter-finals was a testament to Wakama’s strategic prowess and the team’s resilience.
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) recognised Wakama’s outstanding coaching performance, tweeting, “The best coach of #Paris2024 Women’s Basketball, Rene Wakama, Nigeria,” on Sunday evening.
In addition to Wakama’s accolade, D’Tigress point guard Ezinne Kalu was named to the All-Second Team of the Olympics Women’s Basketball for her outstanding performance.
Wakama, at 32, became the first female head coach of D’Tigress in 2023. Before this, she served as the director of women’s basketball operations and later as an assistant coach.
