Golden State Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown will be the coach of the Nigeria men’s basketball Olympic team, according to Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated.
Brown will lead the D’Tigers to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this summer.
Nigeria men’s basketball qualified for the Olympics for the first time in 2012. The team hasn’t missed the cut since and is set to participate for the third time in a row.
In London 2012, the D’Tigers finished 10th. In Rio 2016, they came in 11th.
Brown has worked with seven different NBA teams since 1997 in either an assistant or head coach capacity, serving on staffs for 19 of those 23 seasons.
He was the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-10 and the 2013-14 season, and was the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers from 2011-2013. Brown’s head coaching record is 347-216 (.616).
Brown also has Team USA experience. He was an assistant coach for the U.S. Pan American Men’s Basketball Team in 2015.
“I’m honored and humbled that Musa Kida and the Nigerian Basketball Federation have given me this opportunity,” Brown said to the Undefeated.
“The Nigerian Basketball Federation has been very professional and organized throughout the vetting process. They want to continue to build a world-class team and organization on and off the court. I’m excited to have learned that the Federation’s vision is to provide the team with the necessary resources to compete at the highest level. Their commitment will enable the players and coaches to focus our energy on competing at the highest possible level every time we step on the basketball court. We want to make all of Nigeria proud.”
Nigeria’s 2019 World Cup team included four players either on NBA teams or in G League associates: Al-Farouq Aminu, Chimezie Metu, Josh Okogie and Gabe Vincent, according to the Undefeated.
It also rostered former NBA players Diogu, Ekpe Udoh and Ben Uzoh.
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