The Story Behind the Popular Nigerian Basketball Team's Twitter Account

The man behind the Twitter account for the Nigerian basketball team that upset Team USA and went from 30K followers to 92K in five days relives the run.

Nigeria Team USA Las Vegas 2021
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 10: Nigeria players celebrate after their 90-87 victory over the United States in an exhibition game at Michelob ULTRA Arena ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games on July 10, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Nigeria Team USA Las Vegas 2021

I was reluctant to write this when asked because I’ve always been a guy who likes to keep what I do on the low. Yes, I’m the one behind the Nigeria Basketball Twitter account. The one behind all the memes, clapbacks, videos, and coverage of the team. 

When word got out, many assumed this was a one-off situation. That I was called to cover the team on top of my daily responsibilities at Complex. Those who know me know how much pride I have in being Nigerian. I actually created the Nigerian Basketball account in 2012 as a 16-year-old in high school (or secondary school, for those reading in Nigeria). I’ll get to that backstory in a minute, but I’ve always promised myself that once this team had its moment I would take advantage. 

My goal was always to grow the awareness of basketball in Nigeria. Then I turned “professional” in the social media game, learning the ins and outs of the industry, so I knew exactly how to approach the team’s run to the Olympics: Just have fun. 

That’s exactly what I did, combining my ability to make people laugh on social media with my background and watched the account grow from 30,000 followers to 92,000 in a matter of five days. The past week has been great, highlighted by the upset of Team USA last Saturday in Las Vegas. But I obviously could not have done it without Nigeria doing incredible things on the court and coach Mike Brown and his staff allowing me to be there for every single moment. 


The reactions from the tweets have been incredible, especially from those who told me they’ve started watching basketball because of my work. There have even been people who have DMed me in Nigeria asking for an autograph. The players have shown me love. But I’m not a player. They deserve the credit.

The Backstory

Chima Moneke Chimezie Metu Nigeria Team USA 2021

I watched the 2012 Olympic squad pull off miraculous upsets in the qualifiers to earn a trip to London with former NBA players like Ike Diogu playing and current Bulls forward Al-Farouq Aminu. I quickly saw the vision of where it was going. I could tell that the team one day was going to be a force. 

The problem was nobody really cared. I searched for articles and there was minimal coverage of the historic African team. There was no one really providing info on the team, either, on Twitter. That’s when I envisioned the account. Even at a young age, I knew if I played my cards right, I could be “the guy” for info on the team. Nigeria has always been a football (soccer) country, so it was tough to earn the attention of sports fans in Africa’s most populous nation. Losing to Team USA by 83 points in London put a slight blemish on our resume especially for those that didn’t understand the game. But I knew the foundation was being built and that eventually Nigeria could be a basketball powerhouse. 

How It Grew

Nigeria Australia Exhibition Las Vegas 2021

Following the 2012 Games, I started covering the team. Whether it was player movement or an African tournament, I shared every bit of information. In fact, I haven’t missed a big tournament or game since 2012. As the account grew, I started to connect with players, and eventually I was a part of a site that covered the team. It even led me to connecting with the coach of the National team, Will Voigt. I actually sent him lists of names to consider for the team. So you could say I played a microscopic role in the selection process. 

Long story short, I built my connections with people in the program, and it eventually led to me traveling to Houston with my brother to cover their game against the US in 2016 prior to the Rio Olympics. 

The page continued to grow as the Nigerian squad started to dominate African basketball and the country started to turn its attention toward the team. Eventually, when the Nigeria Basketball Federation decided to create a social platform for the men’s and women’s teams, it decided to use the page I created as the “official official” account for the men. 

I’ve had a lot of fun with Nigeria basketball the past decade, and the vision I had in 2012 is coming to fruition. I can’t end this, though, without thanking the guys who allowed me to get to this point, like Ben Uzoh, Shane Lawal, Stan Okoye, Champ Oguchi, Ike Diogu, coach Will Voigt, and more. And finally, at the end of the day, remember that Twitter is just for fun. 

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