Former NBA head coach and current NBA TV analyst David Fizdale has been appointed as the new head coach of Nigeria’s men’s national basketball team, popularly known as D’Tigers.
Newsonspot reports that the 51-year-old basketball tactician confirmed his appointment in an interview with Marc J. Spears of ESPN Andscape, expressing excitement about returning to the sidelines and leading Nigeria’s quest for qualification to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles – his hometown.
Fizdale said he is motivated not only by the opportunity to coach again but also by the possibility of helping Nigeria qualify for and potentially win a medal at the Olympic Games in front of his family and supporters.
“It will be fun and exciting calling timeouts and drawing plays again as a head coach,” Fizdale said during the interview. “What drives me the most is helping Nigeria qualify and possibly medal at the Olympics in Los Angeles.”
Before his latest appointment, Fizdale built a solid coaching résumé in the NBA. He served for several years as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat before securing his first head coaching role with the Memphis Grizzlies. He later coached the New York Knicks between 2016 and 2019, recording a 71-134 regular season record across both franchises.
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His most recent coaching role came with the Phoenix Suns, where he served as the lead assistant coach from 2023 to 2025.
Fizdale also credited current New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown, who previously coached Nigeria’s national basketball team, for encouraging him to accept the position.
Nigeria is expected to participate in the African qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in July, as the country intensifies preparations for future international tournaments.
Should D’Tigers qualify for the 2027 FIBA World Cup or the 2028 Olympics, the team could feature several NBA stars of Nigerian heritage. Players reportedly being considered include Desmond Bane, OG Anunoby, Onyeka Okongwu, Gabe Vincent, Mark Williams, Zeke Nnaji, Precious Achiuwa, Josh Okogie, Adem Bona and Isaac Okoro.
