Nigeria’s women’s basketball coach, Rena Wakama, has been appointed as the new head coach of Hive BC ahead of the 2025–26 Unrivaled Basketball League season in the United States.The Unrivaled League, co-founded in 2023 by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier, debuted earlier this year with six teams and will expand to eight clubs for its second campaign beginning in January 2026.The league confirmed Wakama’s appointment on its official website, announcing her as one of eight head coaches for the upcoming season.Wakama, 32, has enjoyed a remarkable rise in her coaching career. She guided Nigeria’s D’Tigress to back-to-back FIBA Women’s AfroBasket titles in 2023 and 2025 and also led the team to a groundbreaking quarter-final finish at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games—the first-ever by an African basketball team, male or female.The league noted that Wakama will lead Hive BC in its debut season after serving as an assistant coach with the Chicago Sky in the WNBA.“Rena Wakama will lead Hive BC in the team’s Unrivaled debut, following her first season as an assistant coach for the Chicago Sky,” the league statement read. “She also serves as head coach of the Nigerian Women’s National Team and made history when the D’Tigress became the first African team to reach the Olympic quarterfinals.”Before her international success, Wakama held assistant coaching roles at Tulane and Stony Brook universities after beginning her career as Director of Basketball Operations at Manhattan College. A former player herself, she featured for Western Carolina University during her collegiate years.Wakama joins an elite group of head coaches that includes Noelle Quinn (Breeze BC), Andrew Wade (Laces BC), DJ Sackmann (Lunar Owls BC), Zach O’Brien (Mist BC), Roneeka Hodges (Phantom BC), Nola Henry (Rose BC), and Teresa Weatherspoon (Vinyl BC).Her appointment marks another milestone in a career that continues to break barriers for African coaches on the global basketball stage.
Should we send you latest update about your favourite sports and team?
Enter you email in the box below and hit the subscribe button to join our teaming 876+ sports community.
