Basketball Stakeholders Laud Olajuwoni’s Appointment

Basketball enthusiasts
have hailed the appointment of Hakeem Olajuwon a two-time U.S. National Basketball Association (NBA) League Champion and Basketball Hall of Famer, as Africa NBA Ambassador.
Olajuwon was on May 21 named the NBA African Ambassador to help in the development of basketball on the continent.
He would be working in collaboration with Amadou Gallo Fall, the NBA Vice-President Africa in Johannesburg, South Africa. The basketball aficionados gave the commendation in interviews with newsmen in Lagos. Agboola Pinheiro, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) Board Member, said Olajuwon and the NBA Africa programme should develop the African Basketball Leagues.
“In the past, the NBA programme has always done basketball clinics and taken some of our players overseas.
“This alone cannot bring development; they have to look at the areas of developing the leagues financially, even if they will monitor how their money is being used.
“They also should be looking at materials, equipment and clinics for coaches and league players, not necessarily to take players abroad.
“However, it is a good development that one of ours has been given an ambassadorial role to help to promote the face of basketball in Africa,’’ Pinheiro said.