The Nigerian Basketball Federation has appointed Mike Brown as the new head coach of the men’s national basketball team, D’Tigers.
Prior to his appointment, the 49-year-old coach was the associate head coach of the NBA team, Golden State Warriors.
Brown expressed his delight joining the Nigerian team.
He said: “I am honoured and humbled that Musa Kida and the Nigerian Basketball Federation have given me this opportunity.
“The Nigerian Basketball Federation has been very professional and organised throughout the vetting process.
“They want to continue to build a world-team and organisation on and off the court.”
Brown will replace Coach Alex Nwora who was appointed as head in 2017 and in charge of the team during the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket, World Cup African qualifiers, and 2019 FIBA World Cup.
Nwora will support Brown as an assistant.
Brown’s immediate responsibility will be to put a team together and get them ready ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, which begins on July 24 in Tokyo, Japan.
He said: “I have learned that the vision is to provide the team with the necessary resources to compete at the highest level.
“Their commitment will enable players and coaches to focus their energy on competing at the highest possible level every time we step on the basketball court.”
Brown’s record includes leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to the franchise’s first NBA Finals in 2007 and winning the NBA Coach of the Year in 2009.
“He was the head coach of the Cavaliers from 2005 to 2010, and also during the 2013-14 season.
He coached the Lakers in 2011-12, and led the Golden State Warriors to a 11-0 record while Steve Kerr was away due to his back surgery during the 2016-17 playoffs.
The 2020 Summer Olympics will be the team’s third consecutive appearance.
In the two appearances so far – London 2012 and Rio 2016 – the team only won one game each and failed to advance from the group stage.
Brown’s goal will be to improve on that performance.
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