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Okafor Headed to Olympics with Nigeria
7/21/2021 1:01:00 PM | Men's Basketball
ABUJA (Nigeria) – The Duke men's basketball program can boast another Olympian as former star Jahlil Okafor has earned one of 12 spots on the Nigerian National Team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Okafor is one of four players making an Olympic debut for the D'Tigers, and joins former Blue Devil Jayson Tatum, who is also debuting for Team USA, in Tokyo.
Okafor and Tatum mark the 14th and 15th Blue Devils to make a total of 19 Olympic appearances, including four stints for head coach Mike Krzyzewski -- three as Team USA's head coach in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Duke has had a former player compete in the Olympics in each of the last seven Summer Games, including multiple players in two of the last three and three of the last six. All-time, the Blue Devils have donned 10 Olympic gold medals.
Team Nigeria's roster for the Tokyo Olympics includes Okafor, along with Precious Achiuwa, Calab Agada, Obi Emegano, Chimezie Metu, Ike Nwamu, Jordan Nwora, Josh Okogie, Kezie Okpala, Miye Oni, Ekpe Udoh and Nnamdi Vincent. The head coach is Mike Brown, the former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Eight of the 12 Nigeria players, including Okafor, played on NBA teams this past season, and the Nigerians are second to Team USA for most NBA players in Tokyo. This marks the third straight Olympic Games appearance for Nigeria, which will compete in Group B in Tokyo alongside Australia, Germany and Italy. During a recent four-week training camp in Las Vegas and Oakland, the D'Tigers defeated Team USA, 90-87.
The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games are set for July 23-Aug. 8. Men's basketball preliminary play is July 24-Aug. 1, with the quarterfinals scheduled for Aug. 2-3, semifinals for Aug. 5, gold medal game for Aug. 6 and bronze medal game for Aug. 7.
Duke Men's Basketball in the Olympic Games (10 gold medals)
Jeff Mullins (USA) -- 1964 (gold)
Tate Armstrong (USA) -- 1976 (gold)
Cameron Hall (Canada) -- 1976
Dan Meagher (Canada) -- 1984
Christian Laettner (USA) -- 1992 (gold)
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - assistant coach) -- 1992 (gold)
Grant Hill (USA) -- 1996 (gold)
Greg Newton (Canada) -- 2000
Crawford Palmer (France) -- 2000
Carlos Boozer (USA) -- 2004
Carlos Boozer (USA) -- 2008 (gold)
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - head coach) -- 2008 (gold)
Luol Deng (Great Britain) -- 2012
Martynas Pocius (Lithuania) -- 2012
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - head coach) -- 2012 (gold)
Kyrie Irving (USA) -- 2016 (gold)
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - head coach) -- 2016 (gold)
Jayson Tatum (USA) -- 2020
Jahlil Okafor (Nigeria) -- 2020
#GoDuke
Okafor is one of four players making an Olympic debut for the D'Tigers, and joins former Blue Devil Jayson Tatum, who is also debuting for Team USA, in Tokyo.
Okafor and Tatum mark the 14th and 15th Blue Devils to make a total of 19 Olympic appearances, including four stints for head coach Mike Krzyzewski -- three as Team USA's head coach in 2008, 2012 and 2016. Duke has had a former player compete in the Olympics in each of the last seven Summer Games, including multiple players in two of the last three and three of the last six. All-time, the Blue Devils have donned 10 Olympic gold medals.
Team Nigeria's roster for the Tokyo Olympics includes Okafor, along with Precious Achiuwa, Calab Agada, Obi Emegano, Chimezie Metu, Ike Nwamu, Jordan Nwora, Josh Okogie, Kezie Okpala, Miye Oni, Ekpe Udoh and Nnamdi Vincent. The head coach is Mike Brown, the former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.
Eight of the 12 Nigeria players, including Okafor, played on NBA teams this past season, and the Nigerians are second to Team USA for most NBA players in Tokyo. This marks the third straight Olympic Games appearance for Nigeria, which will compete in Group B in Tokyo alongside Australia, Germany and Italy. During a recent four-week training camp in Las Vegas and Oakland, the D'Tigers defeated Team USA, 90-87.
The Tokyo Summer Olympic Games are set for July 23-Aug. 8. Men's basketball preliminary play is July 24-Aug. 1, with the quarterfinals scheduled for Aug. 2-3, semifinals for Aug. 5, gold medal game for Aug. 6 and bronze medal game for Aug. 7.
Duke Men's Basketball in the Olympic Games (10 gold medals)
Jeff Mullins (USA) -- 1964 (gold)
Tate Armstrong (USA) -- 1976 (gold)
Cameron Hall (Canada) -- 1976
Dan Meagher (Canada) -- 1984
Christian Laettner (USA) -- 1992 (gold)
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - assistant coach) -- 1992 (gold)
Grant Hill (USA) -- 1996 (gold)
Greg Newton (Canada) -- 2000
Crawford Palmer (France) -- 2000
Carlos Boozer (USA) -- 2004
Carlos Boozer (USA) -- 2008 (gold)
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - head coach) -- 2008 (gold)
Luol Deng (Great Britain) -- 2012
Martynas Pocius (Lithuania) -- 2012
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - head coach) -- 2012 (gold)
Kyrie Irving (USA) -- 2016 (gold)
Mike Krzyzewski (USA - head coach) -- 2016 (gold)
Jayson Tatum (USA) -- 2020
Jahlil Okafor (Nigeria) -- 2020
#GoDuke
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