By Daily Sports on April 29, 2020
Olumide Oyedeji, a former Captain of the national male basketball team D’Tigers, has commended young Nigerian basketball players who have shown interest in the 2020 NBA Draft in America.
The 2020 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25 in New York, but sports analysts doubt if the event will hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oyedeji, who captained the Nigerian team, D’Tigers at the London 2012 Olympic Games, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos that the move by the players was a sign of good things to come.
“For Nigerian players that made move to join the NBA Draft this year, it’s a great and wonderful move. I believe that this is the first time that Nigeria will have eight players to declare for NBA Draft.
“I am very delighted to see that young Nigerians have made the move to go for the NBA Draft,” Oyedeji, a former U.S. Orlando Magic and Atlanta Hawks player said.
He said though no player from his foundation, Olumide Oyedeji Foundation, was going for the draft, they were doing well in their respective careers.
The ex-basketball player said he was sure that the 2020 NBA Draft would be postponed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I don’t think that there will be NBA Draft on June 25 because of Coronavirus. I think the organisers may do the virtual draft as was the case with women NBA. The draft always comes at the end of the season.
“I believe the date will come after the organisers know what is going on,” he said.
On plans by Spencer Dinwiddie, a Brooklyn Nets Point Guard to acquire a Nigerian passport to play for Nigeria at the Tokyo Olympic Games in Japan, Oyedeji said he had nothing against his ambition.
“For me, I will give opportunity to the home grown players.
“Notwithstanding, if that is what he (Spencer) wants to do, I respect his ambition. If he is interested in that move, he should have joined the Nigerian team in the World Cup qualifiers not when they have qualified for the Olympic Games,” he said. (NAN)
•PHOTO: Ex-D’Tigers Captain Olumide Oyedeji
Source Daily Sports
Posted April 29, 2020
You may also like...
All Eyes On Neymar’s As Injury Crisis Hits...
Nigerian junior international Douglas Uzama’s murder drives home...
Bamford On Target As Leeds Beat Fulham
FIFA Suspends Ivory Coast FA Elections After Drogba...
Abia not in a hurry to complete renovation...
Arsenal need 'big balls and magic moments' -...
Maresca slams Delap’s ‘foolish’ red card in Chelsea EFL Cup win
Brentford’s Kayode sparks Eagles call-up
Team Nigeria gear up for Saudi Boxing Games
World Athletics grants label to Abuja Half Marathon
Lookman opens 2025/26 goal account
Delap returns as Chelsea aim to solve striker issues
Aspinall 'still can't see' three days after eye poke
Norrie stuns Alcaraz for 'biggest win of career'
Brendan Rodgers quits as Celtic manager
De Bruyne injures thigh while scoring penalty
Juventus sack manager Tudor after seven months
How Andrews has brought about Brentford's tactical evolution
Most Read
Rangers International going, going . . . (63,278 views)
Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (54,487 views)
Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (52,441 views)
Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (52,054 views)
Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (52,044 views)
Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (51,996 views)
Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (51,825 views)
NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (51,411 views)
Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (50,519 views)
Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (49,089 views)
Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (47,496 views)
John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (46,962 views)