The Nigerian women’s basketball team, popularly known as the D’Tigress, entered the 2024 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup with hopes of building on their historic 2018 quarterfinal run, but the tournament proved to be a reality check as they were eliminated in the group stage after just two defeats.
Their opening match against Korea ended in an 18‑point loss, a stark contrast to the competitive spirit they displayed in Paris, while a subsequent 71‑67 defeat to Hungary gave the East European side its first World Cup victory in nearly three decades, underscoring the growing parity in global women’s basketball.
The early elimination marks the D’Tigress’s first group‑stage exit since 2006 and their first failure to reach the quarterfinals in two decades, a development that has intensified scrutiny on head coach Rena Wakama, who now faces mounting pressure to guide the squad through the upcoming 2028 Olympic qualifiers.
The team’s participation was originally delayed by a 2022 government ban on basketball activities, a measure that was lifted too late for the squad to secure a stronger seeding, and the players later issued an apology to their supporters following the disappointing campaign.
Tournament dynamics
In the tournament’s group format, a play‑in round determines the final eight teams, yet France topped Group B with two wins, while Korea and Hungary secured the next two spots, leaving Nigeria at the bottom of the standings without a single victory.
With France leading the group, Korea and Hungary advancing alongside the host nation, the D’Tigress now turn their focus to rebuilding and preparing for the next cycle, hoping to restore the momentum that carried them to the 2018 quarterfinals.