The U.S. men’s basketball team lost to Nigeria in its first pre-Olympic exhibition game, its first-ever defeat to an African nation.
Nigeria, with six NBA players and former NBA head coach Mike Brown as the gaffer, won 90-87 in the first of a series of games in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
The landmark victory came nine years after the U.S. embarrassed Nigeria 156-73 at the London Olympics, the U.S.’ biggest victory in Olympic men’s basketball history.
That Nigerian team included one NBA player (Al-Farouq Aminu), but this time, the Nigerian team included Gabe Vincent, Precious Achiuwa and KZ Okpala of the Miami Heat, Chimezie Metu of the Sacramento Kings, Josh Okogie of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Miye Oni of the Utah Jazz.
The team this time also has Jahlil Okafor of Detroit Pistons and Jordan Nwora of Milwaukee Bucks in the player pool.
Best believe it is the largest pack of NBA players on a single Olympic team list for Nigeria, or any African team for that matter, in history.
The U.S. has three players with Olympic experience — Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Kevin Love, that lost last night, including forward Jayson Tatum, who started with Durant, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal and Bam Adebayo. But the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry, who many woukd have love to see, had withdrawn from Olympic team consideration even before the team was named.
No African country has ever made the Olympic men’s basketball quarterfinals.
According to USA Basketball records, only once has an African country ever challenged a U.S. men’s senior national team — the U.S. beat Egypt 34-32 at the first world championship in 1950.
