Basketball
Nigeria’s Gabe Osabuohien lights up USA College basketball
Another Nigerian sports star is emerging in the US. He is Gabe Osabuohien who is standing at 6ft 8inches tall.
According to The Business Immigrant newspaper in Canada, Osabuohien is making big waves in USA College basketball, playing as a power forward for West Virginia Tech University.
He is the son of Kingsley and Roseline Osabuohien, immigrants from Nigeria. Gabe reportedly has just graduated in Communications Advertising and Sports Psychology and is now studying for his Master’s degree
The energy he brings off the bench on the defensive end of the floor is unmatched. The newspaper further reports that 22 -year-old Gabe, now one of the best defensive players in USA College basketball has his eyes on the NBA as a possible draft pick in 2022.
How the journey started
Osabuohien seems to have been born with basketball in his heart. Roseline, his mother recalls that Gabe used to turn almost every object into a basketball or a throwing toy. He just folds whatever is placed in his hands and tosses it in the air like a basketball.
The parents did not dismiss this intuition and they quickly registered him in Toronto Raptors Basketball Academy at six years old. His talents stood out and the rest is history.
One on one with Osabuohien
Gabe has some nuggets which can be applied not just to basketball but to the game of life.
What motivates me
“Being able to experience, and reach my current level of success Is a blessing. Growing up my coach always told me I have less than 2% chance of playing college basketball. Coming from a different country even lowered that further.
Just being able to look at where I come from and seeing where I am now motivates me to keep going. I want to create a better life for me and for those I love. I also desire to serve as motivation to the next upcoming immigrant kid or people looking up to me.
How to handle defeats
I handle defeats by bouncing back, I usually do not dwell on defeats for long. Once it hits midnight it is a new day. I try to use defeats as a learning experience I don’t call defeats losses I see them as lessons instead because we learn from them.
LeBron James and other role models
First LeBron James, someone who has always been the best basketball player in my eyes , seeing him develop into the legendary player he is now from a kid makes me appreciate his greatness
Second is the late Kobe Bryant because of his mentality and the will to be great. Kobe has the greatest mindset I’ve ever seen in attacking and giving 110%, every time
Dream big
My advise for younger or newer players is that they should have big goals and dreams. Then put in the work. You can never cheat the game of basketball. The work you put in when no one is looking is what will come to the light when it’s time to play.
It’s also important to stay humble and be submissive to all coaches. They want to win but they usually have the best interest of the players at heart.
Music, basketball, and more
Outside of basketball I love music and have grown to love it more. Just hearing people’s stories through their music and their lifestyle is uplifting for me.
I also enjoy trading stocks and binary options in the foreign exchange. I’m part of one of the best investment groups. We not only make money but help several others make money on a daily basis.
Nigeria and Africa
For sure, it would be a very nice experience to represent Nigeria in basketball someday. I have been able to play basketball at the highest level in college and high school and have met several players who came straight from Nigeria.
Nigeria is my original native land . Despite their many challenges, representing that country would be amazing.”
Latest news and what’s next?
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), has just granted Osabuohien permission to capitalize on his name, image and brand and do endorsements. Businesses and brands in USA, Canada and abroad can now collaborate with Osabuohien to elevate their brands.
Osabuohien is certainly heading places. But he hasn’t forgotten his African roots. Big Mac and cheese might taste great but oxtail pepper soup is still his favourite treat!
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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