Basketball
KOBE BRYANT INDUCTED POSTHUMOUSLY INTO BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME
Los Angeles Lakers icon Kobe Bryant was inducted posthumously into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday (May 15) part of a star-studded group that also included Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.
Bryant was inducted as part of the Class of 2020, almost 16 months after he and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna werekilled in a helicopter crash along with seven others in southern California.
Bryant’s wife, Vanessa Bryant, took the podium Saturday to speak movingly about his love for basketball, his family, his teammates and his fans.
“You did it. You are in the Hall of Fame now. You are a true champion, not just an MVP. You are an all-time great,” Vanessa said.
San Antonio Spurs star Duncan, Minnesota Timberwolves and Boston Celtics big man Garnett, two-time National Basketball Association (NBA) champion coach Rudy Tomjanovich and Women’s NBA legend Tamika Catchings were among those also inducted on Saturday night.
The delayed enshrinement stretched over two days at the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, with Vanessa Bryant and Kobe’s oldest daughter, Natalia, accepting Bryant’s Hall of Fame jacket and ring on Friday night.
Bryant and the others were voted into the Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class, but the formal induction ceremony was delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“There will never be anyone like Kobe,” Vanessa said. “Kobe was one of a kind. He was special. He was humble – off the court – but bigger than life.”
Vanessa was helped to the stage by NBA legend Michael Jordan, who acted as a presenter for Kobe and three-time NCAA champion coach Kim Mulkey.
“He and Gigi deserved to be here to witness this. Gigi would have been so proud of her dad getting into the Hall of Fame,” Vanessa said.
Like Kobe, Garnett went straight out of high school to the NBA. Garnett talked of his respect and admiration for both Duncan and Kobe.
“I appreciate you,” Garnett said to Duncan from the stage. “It’s an honour to go into the hall with you, bro. You and Kob.”
Garnett played 21 seasons for Minnesota, Boston and Brooklyn, averaging 17.8 points and 10.0 rebounds per game.
“My only regret with Minnesota is that I didn’t get to bring a championship,” Garnett said. “But like I said, I look forward to rebuilding Minneapolis.”
Duncan had an immediate impact in the NBA, winning the rookie of the year award. His first NBA title came just one year after that.
“This is the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life,” the retiring Duncan said. “Been through finals, game sevens, this is officially the most nervous I’ve ever been in my life. I’ve been pacing in my room all day.”
In 19 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs, Duncan averaged 19.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 2.2 blocks per game.
Catchings overcame a number of obstacles leading up to her stellar basketball career.
“Basketball chose me, an awkward, lanky, introverted tomboy, born with a hearing disability, a speech impediment, and a will to overcome obstacles, dream big and to change the world,” Catchings said.
-AFP
Musa Kida, the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), has been appointed as a non-executive chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the country’s apex oil company. His appointment is part of the sweeping overhaul that the Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu made in the first working day after the Sallah break.
The sacking of the board of the NNPC sees the appointment of Bashir Bayo Ojulari as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO), replacing Mele Kolo Kyari. Prior to his current appointment, Kida was the Deputy Managing Director, Deep Water Services, of Total Nigeria.
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Basketball
NSC DG Bukola Olopade Congratulates NBBF Boss Musa Kida for new appointment as NNPC Chairman
The Director General of the National Sports Commission NSC, Bukola Olopade, has congratulated the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF, Musa Kida, for his appointment as the new Board Chairman of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Olopade said Musa Kida has been one of Nigeria’s most efficient and Productive Sports administrators who has sacrificed a lot for the growth of Nigerian Basketball.
The DG maintained that his latest appointment is a testament to his years of passion, hard work, dedication and a very successful track record in the oil sector for more than two decades.
” Musa Kida is an accomplished administrator whose achievements cut across both the oil sector and Nigerian basketball. I have no doubt that the NNPC Limited will attain better efficiency and attract more investment under his watch”.
” Under his leadership as the President of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, we have seen the steady growth of the country’s basketball and how the National teams have continued to achieve new heights.
” At the last Olympic Games in France, the Nigeria Women’s Basketball team, D’Tigress was one of the shining stories for Team Nigeria, where they set a new record by making it to the knockout phase before losing to the United States”.
” I personally know the efforts behind the scenes that kida put in for Nigeria to achieve that feat with the girls in France and the Nigerian girls have been an unrivalled team on the continent for some time now”.
The DG added that he does not doubt that Musa Kida will use his new position to further earnest the development of Nigerian Sports especially basketball especially now that there is a new focus on growing a sustainable Sports Economy.
” Whilst the Oil sector will benefit immensely from the Expertise of Musa Kida as the new Board Chairman of the NNPC Limited, Mr President, has further helped to place Nigerian Sports in a better pedestal by putting one of us in a very strategic place like the NNPC”, he concluded.
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Basketball
FIBA names Nigeria’s Agada among those who starred the most on the last day of the 2025 AfroBasket Qualifiers
The 16 teams that will be competing at this year’s FIBA AfroBasket from 12-24 August have been confirmed, with some teams securing their places on the final day of qualifying.
A quintet of individuals put in stellar performances to send their teams to this year’s African championship in style.
Teams have 169 days to prepare for the 2025 edition of the AfroBasket set to be hosted by former champions Angola, who will be chasing a record-extending 12th title.
FIBA- Africa looked at the matches and the players and featured nine players who were the stars of the final day on Sunday.
Here is FIBA’s analysis: The return of the Tokyo Olympian has been a blessing for Abdulrahman Mohammed’s Nigeria.
For the second game in a row, Agada was a thorn in their side’s side, scoring 23 points in a convincing 77-62 win over 2021 AfroBasket semifinalists Cape Verde.
The 30-year-old played just over 30 minutes and finished two rebounds shy of a double-double while adding six assists and five steals for an efficiency rating of 29.
Nigeria entered the competition after an 0-3 start, but his disruptive presence on the floor helped them to a 3-0 run to qualify, averaging 19 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists.
The other players highlighted are: Ousmane Drame of Guinea, Karim Maneof Senegal, Childe Dundao of Angola, Siriman Kanoute of Mali, as well as Ntore Habimana (Rwanda) Aliou Fadiala Diarra (Mali) Allan Dokossi (Central African Republic)and Nisre Zouzoua (Cote d’Ivoire)
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