Former NBA head coach David Fizdale has been appointed as the new head coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s national basketball team, according to ESPN’s Marc J. Spears of ESPN Andscape.
The 51-year-old, who currently works as an analyst for NBA TV, will take charge of the team with the aim of guiding them to the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, his hometown.
Fizdale expressed excitement about returning to coaching, saying the opportunity also carries deep personal meaning.
“It will be fun and exciting calling timeouts and drawing plays up again as a head coach,” Fizdale told ESPN Andscape in a phone interview. “It will be good to get back in that mindset of preparation and motivation. That is going to be fun and exciting as well. But the biggest fact is the nostalgia and what is driving me to get to L.A. What is driving me the most is helping Nigeria not only qualify and medal, but to do that in front of my family. That would be the most special thing.”
Fizdale previously served as an assistant coach with the Miami Heat before earning his first head coaching role with the Memphis Grizzlies, followed by a stint with the New York Knicks. Across his NBA head coaching career from 2016 to 2019, he recorded a 71–134 win-loss record. His most recent coaching role was as a lead assistant with the Phoenix Suns between 2023 and 2025.
Reports indicate that current New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown, who previously coached Nigeria’s national team, played a key role in encouraging Fizdale to accept the position.
Nigeria is expected to begin its campaign in the African qualifiers for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in early July, according to ESPN reports.
Should the team secure qualification for either the 2027 World Cup or the 2028 Olympics, the roster could feature several NBA players. Sources suggest that potential candidates include Desmond Bane, OG Anunoby, Onyeka Okongwu, Gabe Vincent, Mark Williams, Zeke Nnaji, Precious Achiuwa, Josh Okogie, Adem Bona and Isaac Okoro.
