Former D’Tigers head coach Mohammed Abdulrahman believes Nigeria have put their disappointing start to the 2027 FIBA Basketball World Cup African Qualifiers behind them and are now firmly on course to secure a place at the global showpiece.
Nigeria’s impressive performances during the second qualification window have reignited hopes of a World Cup return after a difficult opening phase left many supporters fearing another painful failure.
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According to Abdulrahman, the biggest difference has been the quality of players available to the coaching staff, with the current squad looking significantly stronger than the team that featured during the opening qualification window.
“The improvement we’ve seen is because the team now has a stronger pool of players. The quality is much better than what we had in the first qualification window,” Abdulrahman said.
The former national team coach believes the addition of experienced professionals has restored balance, depth and confidence to the squad, allowing D’Tigers to play with greater cohesion and consistency against some of Africa’s strongest basketball nations.
He insisted that maintaining the nucleus of the current team will be crucial when the qualifiers resume next month.
“If this core of players stays together for the next qualification window, I believe Nigeria has every chance of qualifying for the World Cup and doing well when they get there,” he added.
Nigeria’s resurgence comes as welcome news after years of uncertainty surrounding the men’s national basketball programme, which has been affected by administrative disputes, inconsistent player availability and changes within the coaching structure.
Despite those challenges, the recent qualification window offered renewed optimism, with D’Tigers displaying the intensity, teamwork and resilience that once made them one of Africa’s most respected basketball nations.
The race for qualification remains highly competitive, with every remaining fixture expected to play a decisive role in determining Africa’s representatives at the next FIBA World Cup.
For Abdulrahman, however, Nigeria’s destiny remains in its own hands.
If the current momentum is sustained and the country’s best players remain committed to the national team, he believes D’Tigers have all the ingredients needed not only to book their World Cup ticket but also to re-establish themselves among Africa’s basketball elite.
