Former WNBA player Amy Okonkwo headlines Nigeria squad for FIBA Women’s World Cup qualifiers

Colin UdohFeb 26, 2026, 01:29 AM ET

CloseItinerant writer. Engineer in a previous incarnation. One time Black Belt. Lover of football, flirter with other sports.

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The Nigeria Basketball Federation announced a 17-player preliminary roster for D’Tigress ahead of the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup qualifying tournament, with forward Amy Okonkwo leading the squad.

Okonkwo, who shone for Dallas Wings last season and now plays in Turkiye, leads a team that includes multiple FIBA World Cup, Olympics and WNBA-experienced players.

Okonkwo, 28, appeared in eight games for the Dallas Wings during the 2025 WNBA season after the team signed her to a hardship contract in August, that was extended multiple times.

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She averaged 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game across those eight appearances, shooting 57.7% from the field through her first three WNBA games, and posting a career-best 14 points in only her third appearance.

The Beşiktaş forward was also named Most Valuable Player at the 2025 FIBA Women’s AfroBasket, where Nigeria extended their unbeaten run in Africa to 27 games, dating back to 2015, claiming a record fifth consecutive continental title.

Also named to the roster is guard Ezinne Kalu, who also brings some WNBA experience after being also signed to a hardship contract by the Atlanta Dream in September 2024.

She averaged 18.5 points per game at the 2024 Paris Olympics, ranking fourth in scoring in the tournament, and scored 19 points with five assists, five rebounds and three steals against Australia.

Elizabeth Balogun rounds out the trio of prominent names on the preliminary list. Forward Balogun, a Lagos native who played college basketball at Duke University, brings Olympic experience from both the 2020 and 2024 Games.

At Duke, she started 51 of 63 games and averaged 9.3 points and 4.8 rebounds per game on 47% shooting from the field.

Murjanatu Musa also spent time in the WNBA with the Connecticut Sun, but failed to make it to the final roster despite impressing in training camp.

Coach Rena Wakama also named Promise Amukamara, Nicole Enabosi, Victoria Macaulay, Grace Efosa, Pallas Kunayi-Akpannah, Ifunaya Okoro, Wandoo Hembam, Adenike Olawuyi, Sarah Ogoke, Ayomide Tewogbade, Rita Igbokwe, Blessing Ejiofor and Pius Beggi Idubano to the preliminary pool.

Nigeria enter the qualifiers as one of four continental champions, alongside Australia, Belgium and the United States. In the draw held in Mies, Switzerland, D’Tigress were placed in the Lyon-Villeurbanne group alongside hosts France, Germany, Colombia, South Korea and the Philippines. The top three finishers from each of the four groups will advance to the main tournament.

D’Tigress will open their qualifying campaign on March 11 against Colombia, before taking on South Korea on March 12, the Philippines on March 14, France on March 15 and round their campaign out against Germany on March 17.

The qualifying tournament runs March 11-18 across four host cities: Lyon-Villeurbanne, France; Wushan, China; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Istanbul, Turkey. Twenty-four nations will compete for 16 spots at the World Cup, scheduled for September in Berlin, Germany.

Nigeria previously qualified for the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Sydney, Australia, after defeating France and Mali in the qualifying tournament in Belgrade, Serbia, before then-President Muhammadu Buhari cancelled all Nigerian basketball at the time.

The 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup is scheduled for September 2026 in Berlin, Germany.