NBBF appoints Rena Wakama as new D’Tigress head coach

The Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has appointed Rena Wakama as head coach of the Nigeria Women’s basketball team, D’Tigress.

NBBF announced the appointment of the former Western Carolina Catamounts’ Guard on Friday. She has been engaged on a two-year contract.

D’Tigress have been without a head coach since Otis Hughley resigned from his role in 2022.

The five-time FIBA Afrobasket champions will now be headed by the 31-year-old who is a former national team player. She is currently an assistant coach at Stony Brooks University in the United States.

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Wakama was a four-year letterman at the University of Western Carolina and also played professional basketball in the United Kingdom.

Having received a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Western Carolina in 2014, Rena Wakama went further to grab an MBA from Manhattan five years later.

Wakama is in her fourth year as an assistant coach at Manhattan College after serving for two years as Director of Women’s Basketball Operations.

Although young, Wakama’s got experience

As an assistant coach, Wakama serves as the team’s academics and community service liaison official. This role also means she oversees the development of the wing/guard position players.

It is worthy to note that Rena Wakama has helped the Jaspers to a program-high 3.61 team GPA. They have also been placed fifth nationally in community service hours for all of Division I women’s basketball.

Additionally, she has helped develop Davis and Brazil Harvey-Carr to earn post-season All-MAAC honours during the 2021/22 season.

Women basketball fans all over the country will now look forward to an interesting period under Rena Wakama’s tutelage.