 |
| Rena Wakama |
Rena Wakama, the trailblazing head coach of Nigeria’s national women’s basketball team, D’Tigress, has been appointed as the new assistant coach for the WNBA’s Chicago Sky.
The announcement was made by the franchise on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, marking a significant milestone in Wakama’s already illustrious career.
At just 32 years old, Wakama becomes the third assistant to join head coach Tyler Marsh’s staff, alongside Courtney Paris and Tanisha Wright. Her appointment comes ahead of the 2025 WNBA regular season, which kicks off in May.
Wakama, who made history as the first female head coach of D’Tigress in 2023, has an impressive track record. She led Nigeria to victory at the FIBA AfroBasket Women competition that same year and guided the team to a historic quarterfinal finish at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the first time an African team, male or female, has achieved this feat.
In a statement, Wakama expressed her excitement about the new role, saying, “I am honored and thankful for Jeff and Tyler for granting me the opportunity to join the Chicago Sky family. Tyler has one of the best basketball minds in the industry, and I’m excited to help him bring his vision to life.
“I look forward to serving this organization and working alongside the other brilliant minds on staff to create a brand of basketball that is not only competitive but also fun to watch!”
Her addition to the Chicago Sky’s coaching staff is expected to bolster the team’s dynamics and support star players like Angel Reese, as they aim to reclaim their championship glory.
Wakama’s dual role as a national team and club coach underscores her exceptional leadership and dedication to the sport.
She was named the best coach of the tournament in the basketball event of the Paris 2024 Olympics, where she made further history by leading D’Tigress to become the first-ever African national side — male or female — to qualify for the quarterfinals in the Olympics.
In basketball, it is not uncommon for coaches to work with both national teams and clubs simultaneously. Mike Brown remained an associate coach at Golden State Warriors while he led the D’Tigers to the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
As the WNBA season approaches, all eyes will be on her to see how she translates her international success to the professional league.
0 comments:
Post a Comment