Rena Wakama set for first World Cup as D’Tigress head coach

Rena Wakama will lead Nigeria’s D’Tigress into her first FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup as head coach when the reigning African champions begin their campaign in Berlin.

The 34-year-old has established herself as one of the leading young coaches in African basketball since taking charge of D’Tigress in 2023.

Wakama made an immediate impact by guiding Nigeria to the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in her first major tournament as head coach.

She then led D’Tigress to a historic quarter-final appearance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Nigeria became the first African team, men or women, to reach the last eight of an Olympic basketball tournament after defeating Australia in the group stage and beating Canada 79-70 in the quarter-final race.

Wakama’s achievement in Paris also earned her the Best Coach award at the Olympics.

Her rise has been particularly notable given her transition from playing for D’Tigress to coaching the national team.

Two years after taking charge, Wakama will now lead Nigeria onto another major global stage at the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup.

Nigeria secured its place at the tournament after retaining the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in 2025.

D’Tigress have been drawn in Group B alongside France, Hungary and South Korea.

The tournament presents Wakama with another opportunity to test her team against some of the strongest sides in world basketball.

Nigeria’s best World Cup finish came in 2018, when D’Tigress reached the quarter-finals and finished eighth.

Wakama will now look to match or improve on that performance in Berlin.

Her appointment marks another significant stage in a coaching journey that began after her playing career with D’Tigress.

She has already guided Nigeria to continental success and an unprecedented Olympic quarter-final.

The World Cup will provide her next opportunity to extend that progress on the biggest stage in women’s basketball.