PeakNews Online
By John-Francis Alamise
Determined to make a strong impact at the women’s basketball event of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the Nigeria Basketball Federation, NBBF has acquired the services of Abisola Olajuwon, daughter of the legendary Hakeem ‘the dream’ Olajuwon.
Better known as Abi Olajuwon is a Nigerian-American basketball coach and former player. Currently, she is an assistant coach for Connecticut Sun in the WNBA.
She started as an assistant coach in May 2014 for the women’s basketball team at California State University, Fullerton.
On May 20, 2016, Olajuwon was hired as an assistant coach for the women’s Eastern Michigan Eagles.
In May 2018, Olajuwon was added to the Texas Christian University (TCU) Horned Frogs women’s basketball coaching staff.
On December 27, 2022, it was announced Olajuwon had been added to the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun as an assistant coach.
Born in Houston, Texas, Olajuwon played varsity basketball for her Californian high school, Marlborough School, and helped her team win three consecutive Southern Section titles. Olajuwon was a 2006 McDonald’s All-American and was one of the most prized recruits of the 2006 graduating high school class. She played college basketball at the University of Oklahoma, and ESPN basketball analyst Nancy Lieberman stated before the 2006–07 season that the addition of Olajuwon would help propel the Sooners into contention for the NCAA championship.
In 2010, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in broadcast journalism and electronic media at the University of Oklahoma.
Olajuwon was drafted 28th overall (third round) by the Chicago Sky in the 2010 WNBA draft. However, she was waived during the season and signed with Hungarian SEAT-Lami-Véd Győr, and later played for CSM Satu Mare (Romania).
In 2011, Olajuwon returned to the WNBA and was signed by the Tulsa Shock and played there during the 2011 season.
During the offseason, she played for Hapoel Rishon LeZion (Israel), ŽKK Novi Zagreb (Croatia), BC Castors Braine (Belgium). Olajuwon was waived by Tulsa Shock before the 2012 season. After being waived she played for Esportivo Ourinhos (Brazil), and Heilongjiang Chenneng (China).
Olajuwon finished her career playing for Spanish club Caja Rural Zamarat.
In addition to Olajuwon on the coaching crew is 34-year-old Wani Muganguzi.
The Cameroonian who plies his trade in the French league had been working in the background with Nigeria’s D’Tigress.
Other key members of the backroom Stace for Coach Rena Wakama are two-time Olympian Aisha Mohammed who is in charge of player development while former D’Tigers guard Musa Adamu is General Manager.
Joe
