NBA to help grow, strengthen Nigerian basketball ecosystem — Deputy Commissioner, Tatum

Chief Executive Officer, National Basketball Association (NBA) Africa, Victor Williams (left); NBA Africa Vice President & Country Head of Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu; NBA Deputy Commissioner, Mark Tatum, and President, Basketball Africa League, Amadou Gallo Fall, during a media briefing with the NBA deputy commissioner on his visit for the league’s work in Nigeria, and growing the game of Basketball Africa League… in Lagos

Efforts to improve the game of basketball in Nigeria have received a big boost with the visit of National Basketball Association (NBA), Deputy Commissioner, Mark Tatum, to Lagos.

At the event heralding the NBA deputy commissioner’s trip to the country, the NBA executives reiterated their commitment to providing more boys and girls in Nigeria with opportunities to learn the fundamentals and core values of the game, and help grow and strengthen the Nigerian basketball ecosystem.

Present at the occasion were NBA Africa top hierarchy that include, Chief Executive Officer NBA Africa, Victor Williams; NBA Africa Vice President & Country Head of Nigeria, Gbemisola Abudu and, President, Basketball Africa League, Amadou Gallo Fall.

Speaking at the event, Tatum said that Nigeria is a country well endowed with vast talents as typified by the legend Hakeem Olajuwon and other Nigerians, who took the game of NBA Basketball in America by storm.

“While we just opened an office here this year, Nigeria has been an important market for the NBA for decades, dating back to when Hall of Famers, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson, hosted basketball clinics here in 1971.

“And you can’t overstate the incredible basketball talent from Nigeria and its impact on the league. From Hakeem Olajuwon, who was selected with the number one