Rena Wakama: Profile of a trailblazing Nigerian basketball coach

Rena Wakama, OON is a successful Nigerian basketball coach and former player, currently serving as the assistant coach for WNBA side, the Chicago Sky, and the head coach of the Nigerian women’s basketball team, D’Tigress.

She made history in 2023 as the first female head coach of the Nigerian national team and quickly rose to international prominence by guiding the team to historic victories at both continental and global levels.

Profile summary

Name: Rena Wakama

Born: April 11, 1992

Place of birth: Raleigh, North Carolina

Nationality: Nigerian

Education: Western Carolina University

Career: Basketball coach

Background

Born in Raleigh, North Carolina on April 11, 1992 to Nigerian parents, Johnson Wakama and Rosana Oba, who hail from Okrika in Rivers State, Wakama has risen to become a powerful figure in women’s basketball, both in Nigeria and internationally.

She holds a bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation from Western Carolina University and earned her MBA from Manhattan College.

Career highlights

Her passion for basketball was ignited by her cousin Onimisi Aiyede, and she went on to play for the Western Carolina Catamounts, where she made 121 starts across four seasons and earned multiple academic and athletic honors.

After college, she joined Nigeria’s national team and played at the 2015 AfroBasket Women’s Championship in Cameroon, helping Nigeria secure a third-place finish.

She also played for First Bank Basketball Club at the FIBA Africa Champions Cup for Women.

Wakama’s coaching career began in earnest in 2017 at Manhattan College. She spent two years as Director of Basketball Operations before being promoted to assistant coach.

She developed numerous players who went on to receive MAAC and All-Met accolades, helped her team achieve a record 3.61 GPA, and guided the program to national recognition in community service efforts.

She later served as assistant coach at Stony Brook and Tulane before joining the Chicago Sky in 2025.

Achievements

Wakama’s breakthrough came in 2023 when she made history by becoming the first female head coach of D’Tigress.

Under her leadership, Nigeria’s women’s team won the AfroBasket championship, their fifth consecutive and seventh overall title, and remained unbeaten in the tournament since 2015.

She also led D’Tigress to a groundbreaking run at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they became the first African team (male or female) to reach the basketball quarterfinals after defeating Canada 79–70.

Her success earned her the Best Coach award at the Olympics by FIBA.

In recognition of this historic achievement, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu awarded national honors and financial gifts to the team.

Wakama and her technical staff received the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON), US $50,000 each, and housing allocations, while the players were awarded US$100,000 each alongside national honors and accommodation.

Personal life

A standout both on and off the court, Wakama has served as a role model and mentor to many young athletes.

She played professionally in the UK and the FIBA African Basketball League before fully transitioning to coaching.

As a former Cap-7 Player of the Year in North Carolina, her transition from player to elite coach is a testament to her dedication and leadership.

Net worth

Wakama’s estimated net worth is around $500,000, earned through her growing coaching career and international recognition.