Rena Wakama: The first female coach to lead D’Tigress to their opening victory at the Olympics.

Rena Wakama etched her name in history books by guiding Nigeria’s D’Tigress to a remarkable 13-point victory over World No.3 Australia at the Olympics. This monumental win marked a first for Nigerian women’s basketball, solidifying Wakama’s status as a pioneering coach.

Wakama’s tactical brilliance and leadership played a pivotal role in D’Tigress’ stunning upset. Her team’s impressive performance is a testament to her coaching acumen, which has been instrumental in shaping Nigerian women’s basketball.

Who is D’Tigress’ coach?

The impressive basketball tactician was born in the Raleigh area of North Carolina, United States, to parents from Okrika in Rivers State. Wakama graduated with a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic reaction from Western Carolina University in 2014. During her time at the institution, she served on the women’s basketball team, the “Catamounts.”

When did Wakama become D’Tigress head coach?

After a brief playing career, Wakama joined the Nigerian female basketball team in 2015. She travelled to Cameroon with D’Tigress for the 2015 Women’s Afrobasket competition, although the registration deadline had passed. She confirmed that her name was not on the Nigerian national roster for that competition, in which D’Tigress finished third. They were Afrobasket champions in 2017. Wakama led the Nigerian ladies to the Women’s Afrobasket Championship title last year following their win over Senegal in the final.

D’Tigress set Olympic record in Paris 2024 D’Tigress won their first-ever opening game at the Summer Games, beating World No. 3 Australia for the first time in 16 years.