Former D’Tigers head coach Sanni Ahmed has applauded David Fizdale for making a dream start as Nigeria’s national team coach but has cautioned that the toughest part of the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers is still to come.
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Fizdale has enjoyed an impressive beginning to his tenure, guiding D’Tigers to three consecutive victories over Tunisia, Guinea and Rwanda during the latest qualification window in Luanda, Angola.
The perfect run has reignited Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the next FIBA Basketball World Cup after a difficult start to the campaign.
Ahmed, who previously led D’Tigers and remains one of Nigeria’s most respected basketball coaches, believes the unbeaten start has given the squad a much-needed confidence boost.
“Winning your first three games is very important because it gives the players confidence and creates a positive atmosphere around the team,” Ahmed said.
Despite praising the results, Ahmed warned against reading too much into the performances, stressing that Nigeria’s biggest challenges are still ahead as the level of opposition will increase in the next qualification phase.
He also noted that it is still too early to judge Fizdale’s tactical identity, pointing out that the American has had limited time to work with the players.
“The next round will be much tougher because the quality of the opposition will improve. At this stage, we haven’t really seen a clear tactical identity yet, but that’s understandable given the short time the coach has had with the team,” he added.
Fizdale, a former NBA head coach with the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, took charge of D’Tigers earlier this year as Nigeria sought to revive its World Cup qualification campaign following a disappointing start.
With momentum now building after three successive wins, Ahmed believes Nigeria is moving in the right direction but insists sustained success will depend on continued improvement, stronger tactical cohesion and adequate preparation before the next qualification window.
The former D’Tigers coach expressed confidence that, with patience and the right support from the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Fizdale has the potential to restore Nigeria’s status as one of Africa’s leading basketball nations.
