Rena Wakama became the first woman in the history of African basketball to win a championship when she led the Nigerian female baketball team to glory,despite being appointed less than a month before the tournament.
The 32 years old who was born in North Carolina,USA holds a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from the Western Carolina University, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Manhattan College.
She was part of the D’Tigress team at the 2015 Women’s Afrobasket tournament in Cameroon where Nigeria finished third. She also represented Nigeria’s First Bank at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women during her career as a player.And in 2023,less than a month to the African women’s basketball championship,she was appointed as the head coach of the Nigeria female basketball team.
She is the first coach to lead Nigeria to victory against top-ranked teams (Australia and Canada) at the Olympics,she is the first coach to lead an African basketball team to two wins in a single Olympic tournament,she is the first coach to lead an African basketball team (male or female) to the quarter-final of the Olympic Games.
After the win against Canada,Coach Wakama had this to say;
“When we are focused on something, and when we all come together, we are powerful. Our whole team, support staff, and coaches, we have the same mindset – a winning mindset,” said an emotional Wakama.
“I hope young girls are watching this. I wanted to be the first, but I don’t want to be the last. If we invest in Africa, we are capable of doing really amazing things. We have to put some eyes on Africa and develop the game there and it starts with grassroots. it will make the game so much better, she added.