David Fizdale named Nigeria men's basketball coach for 2028 LA Olympics

David Fizdale has been appointed Nigeria's men's basketball head coach with the goal of leading the team to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

New Nigeria basketball coach David Fizdale, a former NBA head coach, has been named the new head coach of Nigeria's men's basketball team. His ambition is to guide the squad to the 2028 Olympics in his hometown of Los Angeles. Fizdale brings an NBA coaching record of 71-134 from stints with the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns between 2023 and 2025 before transitioning to an NBA TV analyst role. ## Fizdale's personal motivation The opportunity to coach Nigeria in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles holds deep personal significance for Fizdale. He expressed excitement about returning to his head coaching roots, calling plays and managing timeouts once again. 'It will be fun and exciting calling timeouts and drawing plays up again as a head coach,' he shared in a recent interview. Fizdale emphasized that leading Nigeria to qualify and medal on home soil would be the ultimate reward, especially with his family present to witness the achievement. ## Nigeria's Olympic history Nigeria's men's basketball team has competed in three previous Olympics—2012, 2016, and 2020—without securing a medal. The D'Tigress, led by current Knicks head coach Mike Brown during the 2020 Tokyo Games, delivered impressive exhibition victories over the United States and Argentina. Brown played a key role in persuading Fizdale to take the Nigeria job, along with Ugo Edezue, a board member of the Nigerian Basketball Federation and former Wyoming center turned NBA agent. ## Path to qualification begins Nigeria's journey toward Olympic qualification kicks off with the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers, set for July 2-5 in Luanda. The team is scheduled to face Angola, Guinea, Tunisia, and Rwanda in the opening round. Fizdale revealed plans to hold a training camp in Luanda ahead of the competition to prepare the squad for the challenges ahead. ## Potential Olympic roster revealed If Nigeria advances to the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar or the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, a potential roster could feature several NBA players. The list includes Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane, Knicks guard OG Anunoby, Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu, Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams, Denver Nuggets center Zeke Nnaji, Sacramento Kings forward Precious Achiuwa, Houston Rockets forward Josh Okogie, Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona, and Chicago Bulls forward Isaac Okoro. Additional candidates include Stanford freshman guard Ebuka Okorie, a 2026 NBA draft prospect, and former NBA players Jahlil Okafor, Chuma Okeke, and Chima Moneke. ## A life-changing coaching dream Though Fizdale has never visited Nigeria or Angola, he has traveled to other African nations including Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya. His ultimate aspiration is to coach Nigeria in his hometown of Los Angeles, where he once starred at Crenshaw High School. Reflecting on his childhood, Fizdale recalled watching the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics on television as a child without the means to attend. 'The reality of it is if I do get this team qualified for the Olympics it will be in my hometown,' he said. 'It would be full circle for me. You're talking about a basketball checklist. That would definitely be on my bucket list for me to not only coach in the Olympics, but to coach in the Olympics in front of my family in the place I grew up.' Fizdale added, 'I didn't go to the Olympics in 1984, but I told people where to park on my buddy's yard. My homeboy lived by the Coliseum so we used his front yard to park cars and make money because parking was crazy. We were the poor kids watching on TV, but that Olympics had a huge impact on all of us.'