By Akeem Lawal
D’TIGERS’ star Jordan Nwora is in cloud nine after becoming 2021 NBA champion with his club the Milwaukee Bucks.
Sportsbiz247.blogspot.com reports that Nigerian-born Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points as the Bucks claimed their first NBA title for 50 years with a 105-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.
The Bucks' 4-2 series win was sealed in front of a 17,000 crowd as 65,000 celebrated outside the Fiserv Forum.
They are only the fifth team to win the best-of-seven finals series after losing their first two matches.
“WORLD CHAMPION #bucksinsix,” Nwora posted on his Twitter handle in celebration of the title.
The Nigeria Basketball Federation also congratulated Nwora on his achievement.
“Congratulations to our guy, Jordan Nwora for winning the NBA title. Youngest highest point scorer for Nigeria. First father and son collabo in Nigeria at the World cup and Olympics (basketball).
“Soon to be Olympian. Keep making history because you deserve everything coming to you,” NBBF said on it’s official Twitter handle.
Nwora only played in one game in the Finals, the Bucks game 3 win in Milwaukee, where he hit his only shot of the series, a three pointer.
The rookie finished the 2020-2021 season averaging 5.7 points and 2 rebounds through 30 games played this season.
The 22-year-old becomes the latest Nigerian to win the NBA title after Dream Hakeem Olajuwon and Masai Ujuri of the Toronto Raptors.
Nwora will now head to Japan to join the rest of the Nigeria national basketball roster for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
The Buffalo native and Park School alumni has played for Nigeria in several tournaments. During the FIBA World Cup, Nwora averaged 11 points, 3.5 boards, 2 assists, and 3 steals. However, it was during the African qualifiers that landed the Nigerian team in the tournament itself where he really excelled.
In qualifying rounds, Nwora averaged more than 21 points per game, including 36 points against Mali.
Now, Nigeria- Without veterans like Ike Diogu and Al-Farouq Aminu- will likely turn to “Air Jordan” as the final piece that can solidify itself as a country to be reckoned with.
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