Nigeria stuns U.S. men’s basketball team in first pre-Olympic exhibition

By OlympicTalkJul 10, 2021, 10:05 PM EDT

The U.S. men’s basketball team lost to Nigeria in its first pre-Olympic exhibition game, its first-ever defeat to an African nation.

Nigeria, with six NBA players and former NBA head coach Mike Brown at the helm, won 90-87 in the first of a series of games in Las Vegas on Saturday night.

The landmark victory came nine years after the U.S. shellacked Nigeria 156-73 at the London Olympics, the U.S.’ biggest blowout in Olympic men’s basketball history.

That Nigerian team included one NBA player (Al-Farouq Aminu).

This Nigerian team includes Gabe Vincent, Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala of the Miami Heat, Chimezie Metu of the Sacramento Kings, Josh Okogie of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miye Oni of the Utah Jazz.

The U.S. Olympic roster includes three players with Olympic experience — Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Kevin Love.

NBA superstars including LeBron James and Stephen Curry withdrew from Olympic team consideration before the team was named.

The U.S., coached by Gregg Popovich, is trying to rebound from a seventh-place finish at the 2019 FIBA World Cup, its worst-ever international tournament result.

Its last Olympic defeats came in 2004, when it took bronze. An overhaul followed, with Mike Krzyzewski leading teams to three consecutive gold medals.

https://olympics.nbcsports.com/2021/07/10/usa-basketball-nigeria-olympics-exhibition/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZoa-6r_fu8


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_niksUvMI8


DID YOU SEE PRECIOUS ACHIUWA'S REJECTION OF KEVIN DURANT'S EFFORT?! WHAT A BLOCK!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWlAxHYLt5c

Pictures

The full Team USA roster includes: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets), Jerami Grant (Detroit Pistons), Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors), Jrue Holiday (Milwaukee Bucks), Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls), Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers), Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers), Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks) and Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics).


https://www.bulletsforever.com/2021/7/10/22568643/team-usa-vs-nigeria-game-thread-bradley-beal-kevin-durant-bam-adebayo-jayson-tatum-damian-lillard

4

Hopefully this will spark investment in basketball in this country. There's just way too much talent for the nation to be solely occupied with football.

This is frontpage worthy

A good day for Nigerian Messi fans

Good one. Friendly or no friendly the USA lineup no be joke ooooooo

Nice one lads, great victory from our guys as its not easy to beat this USA Basketball Team.

Nice one again Nigeria Basketball Team.

Nice one. Kudos to D'Tigers

This is absolutely amazing! With the wealth of talent at the disposal of Nigeria, it should challenge the world in all spheres of life.

This is not quota system made up. Fulani are dumbass. Super Eagles were doing well untill quota system enter it.

Bam Adebayo of the USA and D'Tigers (Nigerian National Team) Twitter account.

Reactions.

Nice one from de tigers

Finally! something positive from this country. A little breather from bad news.

Two good news
Messi win international trophy
Nigeria beat the USA gaint


Where is damn niggar. This worth celebrating


To penado fanz Messi have something for you down here

Wonderful

Gabe Vincent's post game interview.

(Listen to the song that's being played in the background).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoLGgM3GigQ

Awesome,,big thumbs up

nice one, only those dt understand what this defeat means in the world of basketball go fit relate to how huge dis win is
us team wey sabi disgrace us whenever them jam us...congrats lads

H

Country is awesome

Those guys really try honestly

Kudos to them

oluztx:
Just call it Igbo or Biafran team. Thank you coach Mike Brown for not bowing to pressure from Nigerian government to quota system team. He was asked to form a team based on Nigerian tribal makeup, meaning allow quota system. Mike Brown said no or he will resign. He said will only pick the best from across the world base on merit or performance, and it happens there were mostly Igbos.

Can you give us a link to prove the bolded because as much as I know Nigeria Basketball Team have been like this for God knows when and apart from the likes of Aminu who was a deserved call up then, Igbos have always dominated our basketball team. Even Ike Diogu, a constant and their captain is currently missing their,so stop this lie and your constant tribal tantrum.

You mean America vs America because 95% of those Nigerian team are born or raised as Americans or live in America

Awesome display , we hit 20 3-pointers

21 3 pointers from D' Tigers is a huge feat against the US!