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Georgia Tech Basketball: Josh Okogie to represent Nigeria in FIBA World Cup

By Dylan Callaghan-Croley

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 22: Josh Okogie #20 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on January 22, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JANUARY 22: Josh Okogie #20 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half of the NBA game against the Phoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena on January 22, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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Former Georgia Tech basketball star player Josh Okogie will represent Nigeria in this year’s FIBA World Cup.

Starting on August 31st, the 2019 FIBA World Cup will take place across right cities in China with 32 teams from four confederations battling it out to see which country is the best in the world. While many pro players this year are bowing out from partaking as they gear up for the 2019-320 season. Others are taking advantage of the possible once in and lifetime opportunity.

One of those players is former Yellow Jacket star shooting guard Josh Okogie. Okogie is coming off his first season in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Okogie, an American-Nigerian will represent his birth country of Nigeria, where he was born in Lagos back on September 1st, 1998.

This past season, he averaged 7.7 points per game on a .386 shooting percentage. Known for his unrelentless motor showed sparks this year of why the Timberwolves selected him in the first round of last year’s NBA Draft.

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Okogie after two years with the Tech program. After being a rather unheralded recruit coming out of high school, Okogie broke out in his true freshman season becoming a star for the Jackets. That 2016-17 season, Okogie averaged 16.1 points per game and was a huge reason for the Jackets success that season. The following season, Okogie missed time early in the season not appearing until December but didn’t let that stop him from averaging 18.2 points per game over 24 games.

He would declare for the draft following the season and would go onto have a tremendous performance during the NBA Combine. His track record at Tech and his performance at he combine, moved the Snellville, Georgia native up draft boards going from a second round selection to a possible first. The Timberwolves would then select him in the 2018 NBA Draft with the 20th overall selection.

Okogie will look for a better second season in the NBA after getting some solid seasoning this past season. Okogie could very well become a top notch shooting guard in the NBA with more experience and chances over the next few seasons. But before that he will look to help guide Nigeria to a few upset wins in the World Cup. Nigeria is the 33rd ranked team in the FIBA rankings and while they are one of the better nations in Africa when it comes to basketball, they will still be steep underdogs in this year’s World Cup.

Nigeria is in Group B for this year’s World Cup which also feature Russia, Argentina, and South Korea. With both Russia and Argentina being in the top-10 of the FIBA rankings, Nigeria’s best chance for a win will come against South Korea who ranks 32nd in the world.

The World Cup will kickoff on August 31st with Groups A through D set to play eight games (two each group) across four cities.