Jordan Nwora – five quick facts about Nigeria’s highest scorer
Getting selected to play for a team in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is the dream of every college and high school basketball player in the United States.
It did not come as a surprise to see young basketball talents excited as they moved up the ladder in their basketball career on Wednesday night after the 2020 NBA draft announcement. Eight basketball players of Nigerian origin made the list of the 2020 draft which sees NBA teams select players from American colleges and international professional leagues.
One of the players selected into the top tier basketball league is Jordan Nwora, who presently holds the record as Nigeria’s highest scorer.
Here are five facts we know about Jordan Nwora:
- Born to a Nigerian father and American mother
The 22-year-old was born in New York to a Nigerian father and a white American mother.
2. Started basketball in high school
Nwora started playing basketball playing for Amherst High School and played college basketball for Louisville Cardinals of the University of Louisville. Before then his father had been training him to develop his basketball skills.
3. His father coaches the Nigerian national team
His father Alex Nwora was Nigeria’s head coach at the World Cup (now assistant coach). The duo are the first son and father to be part of a Nigerian national team at the same time.
4. He made his debut for Nigeria in 2018
After choosing Nigerian over the United States, Jordan made his debut with Nigeria’s men team in 2018. On his decision to play for Nigeria he said, “It was a case of playing for Nigeria because I love the country. I have always played in African and Pan- African teams my whole life back in the States.”
5. Nigeria’s highest scorer
Jordan is Nigeria’s highest scorer in a single match after registering 36 points against Mali in a 2019 World Cup qualifier in Lagos. He broke the record previously set by Chamberlain Oguchi who finished with a game-high 35 points in a 79-73 defeat to France at 2012 London Olympics.
He will be playing for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA.
