Written by: Marc Spears, Undefeated
Nigeria’s Olympic men’s basketball team made headlines when it upset Team USA in an exhibition game on July 10. While the majority of the players on Nigeria’s roster are American-born or immigrated to the United States as young children, there is one major exception: Miami Heat forward Precious Achiuwa.
“It’s big for me to have ‘Nigeria’ on my jersey,” Achiuwa, 21, recently told The Undefeated. “I’m the only NBA player on this team that was actually not only born in Nigeria, but grew up in Nigeria.”
Precious Ezinna Achiuwa was born in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, to Donatu and Eunice Achiuwa, who are both of Igbo descent. He has fond memories growing up in Port Harcourt, which is the capital of Rivers State and located in the southern portion of Nigeria.
“A lot of ships come in. It’s a port, so a lot of things come in and you’re able to meet people from different countries,” Achiuwa said. “It’s really, really diverse.”
Continue reading on the Undefeated: Miami Heat forward Precious Achiuwa: ‘It’s big for me to have ‘Nigeria’ on my jersey’
