Head coach of Nigeria’s senior men’s basketball national team, Will Voigt, has said his team was eager to make history at this year’s Olympics, by becoming the first African team to qualify from the group stages.
D’Tigers are in the same group as hosts Brazil, Spain, Lithuania, Argentina and one team that will qualify via Olympic Qualifying Tournaments.
Voigt, who led the team to their first-ever African title last year in Tunisia, is hoping for “a historic moment for Nigerian basketball”.
“I don’t think there will be lots of changes from what we have seen in the previous summer,” Voigts told FIBA.com.
“Right now we are not hundred percent sure whether or not he [Oladipo] will be able to do it, but he certainly is a name that everyone is well aware of.
“Probably, pretty shortly we should be able to confirm whether or not he will be involved. I have spoken with Festus, and I think he actually is on board and committed. He is ready to be a part of it.
“We have very high aspirations as a team. If you are to ask any of our players going in to Tunisia, really our goal was to make history. We went there to win that tournament, that was our mindset. Even though it had never been done before, that’s how we looked at it. That’s our mindset going into the Olympics.
“We want to be the first team, in the African history, to get out of the group stage. That’s our focus. I know that our guys will disappointed if we don’t achieve that.
“We are opening against Argentina, that’s where our mindset is right now.”
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