Nigerian Players in College Basketball: The Risen Stars

Averages are per game for the 2025-26 season unless noted. Freshmen show their best pre-college figures.

1. 1

   Rueben Chinyelu

   Florida Gators (senior)

   Centre · 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Anambra State; played in the Basketball Africa League before college.

   • 10.9PTS
   • 11.2REB
   • 58%FG

   2025-26

   2026 national Defensive Player of the Year and 2025 NCAA champion. Set a Florida record with 19 double-doubles.

2. 2

   BO

   Baba Oladotun

   Maryland Terrapins (freshman)

   Wing · 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)

   Nigerian roots: his father, Ibrahim Oladotun, grew up in Lagos and played college basketball at Virginia Tech.

   Five-star recruit, ranked in the national top 10

   Maryland’s highest-rated recruit in a decade and an early projected first-round pick for 2027.

3. 3

   OE

   Obinna Ekezie Jr.

   Louisville Cardinals (freshman)

   Centre · 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)

   Nigerian roots: son of Obinna Ekezie, the Port Harcourt-born former NBA centre who founded Wakanow.

   • 12.4PTS
   • 7.8REB
   • 1.8BLK

   Junior year of high school

   A five-star who was the top centre in the 2027 class before reclassifying to 2026.

4. 4

   MM

   Mackenzie Mgbako

   Texas A&M Aggies (senior)

   Forward · 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)

   Nigerian roots: Nigerian-American.

   • 10.4PTS
   • 4.9REB
   • -AST

   2025-26 (season ended by a foot injury), 7 games

   McDonald’s All-American and 2024 Big Ten co-Freshman of the Year at Indiana.

5. 5

   Somto Cyril

   Miami Hurricanes (sophomore)

   Centre · 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Enugu; developed at Overtime Elite.

   • 9.3PTS
   • 5.4REB
   • 2.2BLK

   2025-26 at Georgia

   SEC All-Defensive Team; shot 75.9% from the field.

6. 6

   IA

   Ikenna Alozie

   Houston Cougars (freshman)

   Point guard · 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Lagos; moved to the US in 2021.

   ESPN top-30 recruit

   A top-10 point guard nationally on every recruiting service.

7. 7

   DU

   David Ugonna Ike

   Georgia Bulldogs (freshman)

   Centre · 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Owerri; NBA Academy Africa and Nigeria U18.

   • 24.3PTS
   • 12.3REB
   • -AST

   Advance Global Cup, January 2026

   Defensive MVP at Basketball Without Borders Africa 2024; played for Rivers Hoopers in the BAL.

8. 8

   JO

   Josh Ojianwuna

   Ohio State Buckeyes (redshirt senior)

   Centre · 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Asaba; NBA Academy Africa graduate.

   • 7.4PTS
   • 6.4REB
   • 77%FG

   2024-25 at Baylor

   Returns from a knee injury that kept him out of the 2025-26 season.

9. 9

   James Nnaji

   George Mason Patriots

   Centre · 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Makurdi; played four seasons for FC Barcelona.

   Joined college basketball in December 2025

   A 2023 NBA second-round pick, the first NBA draftee ever to then play NCAA basketball.

Several of these players have already trained with D’Tigress, Africa’s champions.

1. 10

   Oluchi Okananwa

   Maryland Terrapins (senior)

   Guard · 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)

   Nigerian roots: plays for D’Tigress; toured the US with Nigeria against WNBA teams in 2026.

   • 17.8PTS
   • 5.4REB
   • 74STL total

   2025-26

   Led the Big Ten in steals; All-Big Ten first team and an All-America honourable mention.

2. 11

   UI

   Uche Izoje

   Syracuse Orange (sophomore)

   Centre · 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Asaba; in the D’Tigress camp in 2026.

   • 15.6PTS
   • 9.2REB
   • 2.6BLK

   2025-26

   ACC Rookie of the Year and the ACC’s leading shot-blocker, named an ESPN breakout pick for 2026-27.

3. 12

   FN

   Favour Nwaedozi

   Mississippi State Bulldogs (senior)

   Centre · 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Delta State; played two seasons in Japan before the SEC.

   • 12.2PTS
   • 10.0REB
   • 14Dbl-dbls

   2025-26

   Had a 23-rebound game and a 30-point game last season.

4. 13

   SO

   Stephanie Okechukwu

   Texas Tech Red Raiders (sophomore)

   Centre · 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)

   Nigerian roots: born in Abia State; went to high school in Kyoto and speaks English, Igbo and Japanese.

   Joined in January 2026

   The tallest woman ever to play NCAA basketball.

5. 14

   NE

   Nora Ezike

   Stanford Cardinal (sophomore)

   Forward · 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)

   Nigerian roots: played for Nigeria at the FIBA U19 World Cup.

   • 12.1PTS
   • 7.0REB
   • -AST

   Nigeria at the U19 World Cup

   Scored 25 points on 8-of-8 shooting against China for Nigeria.

6. 15

   SI

   Shay Ijiwoye

   Stanford Cardinal (junior)

   Guard · 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)

   Nigerian roots: represented Nigeria’s team at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit; in the D’Tigress camp in 2026.

   • 2.7PTS
   • 2.1REB
   • 1.3AST

   2025-26

   Toured with Nigeria’s senior team against WNBA sides in spring 2026.

7. 16

   VI

   Vivian Iwuchukwu

   Florida Gators (junior)

   Forward · 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

   Nigerian roots: in the D’Tigress camp in 2026.

   2025-26 at USC, 31 games

   Won three national high-school titles at Montverde Academy.

8. 17

   DO

   Danielle Osho

   Auburn Tigers (sophomore)

   Forward · 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)

   Nigerian roots: in the D’Tigress camp in 2026.

   • 2.5PTS
   • 2.9REB
   • -AST

   2025-26 at Miami

   A top-60 national recruit in her class.