The anticipated gale of retirement of senior players from the D’Tigress has started with former Atlanta Dream Centre Forward Oderah Chidom calling it quit with the national team.
Chidom, a Tokyo 2020 Olympian and 2021 FIBA AFROBASKET winner is ending her international career due to what she terms continuous lack of professionalism from the Musa Kida led Nigeria Basketball Federation, (NBBF).
The 27-year-old says the latest unprofessional conduct from the NBBF leadership who announced an open tryouts in Lagos, Abuja and Chicago was the last straw that broke the camel’s back for her and She would not be participating.
The American-Nigerian complained of how She had to see the notification of the tryouts on social media app Instagram, rather than the NBBF sending the players direct messages. She said that has always been the case, as they (players) are always in the dark regarding simple information like the venue of their camp, coaches and other very important news.
These tryout which has been termed controversial by some in the basketball circle is coming on the back of the D’Tigress being forced to withdraw from the 2022 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand by the former Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare.
Just recently, the NBBF parted ways with former D’Tigress coach Otis Hughley who took Nigeria to its best outing at the world in Tenerife, Spain, where the team got to the quarter-finals, a feat no African country has ever achieved and the American also clinched two back to back continental trophies for Nigeria in 2019 and 2021.
Hughley was replaced with American based coach and former national team player Rena Wakama and her first action since assumption of office is the announcement of the open tryouts which is currently causing furore.
According to insider sources, more players will be throwing in the towel with the D’Tigress, instead of participating in the tryouts which began on Monday 10th July.
