Nigeria’s men’s senior basketball national team, D’Tigers’ new coach, David Sean Fizdale has revealed a secret source of motivation that is spurring him on the excel with his latest job, as he wants to impress in front of his family.
Sports247 gathered that Fizdale is already looking forward to helping D’Tigers qualify for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, USA, then go on to marshal the squad to global success with his family members watching.
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Fizdale, who will clock 52 on June 16th, previously handled Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks in USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA), then worked as an assistant coach with Phoenix Suns between 2023 and 2025.
His latest tour of duty will commence at the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup qualifiers in Luanda, where D’Tigers will face Guinea, Tunisia, Rwanda and hosts Angola, ahead of which Fizdale disclosed that his biggest motivation is deeply personal.
With his sight set on pulling off a historic Olympic appearance with D’Tigers on home soil in Los Angeles, Fizdale added that he is already excited about the journey ahead and is eagerly looking forward to his first day on the job.
“It will be fun and exciting calling timeouts and drawing plays up again as a head coach. It will be good to get back in that mindset of preparation and motivation. That is going to be fun and exciting as well.
“The biggest fact is the nostalgia and what is driving me to get to LA. 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.”
Meanwhile, Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) disclosed in a press statement that Fizdale’s appointment reflects a wider ambition to raise standards and part of its long-term strategy to strengthen the technical structure of the national teams.
The NBBF’s introductory statement added that Fizdale will help in adding effective innovation to Nigerian basketball as a whole and build a men’s team that is capable of competing consistently at the highest international level.
“The NBBF believes Coach Fizdale will bring his wealth of elite basketball management experience to the table, top-tier leadership qualities and extensive knowledge acquired from his coaching in the NBA,” the federation posited.
Sports247 gathered further that, Fizdale was born in Los Angeles and attended Fremont High School, where he played as a point guard for the basketball team, following which he enrolled at University of San Diego to study communications.
He will now lead Nigeria’s squad to the third qualifying window of the 2027 FIBA Men’s World Cup in African Group C, from July 2nd to July 5th in Luanda, Angola; hoping to pick a fourth Olympic Games ticket for D’Tigers.
Nigeria’s men first played in the Olympics at London 2012, when they reached their maiden Games through the FIBA qualifying tournament and won their first match by defeating Tunisia 60-56; then featured at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
