Nigeria’s men’s basketball national team,, D’Tigers’ captain, Ike Diogu, who currently plays for Shimane Susanoo Magic in Japan’s B. League, has served up a strong hint that he is on the verge of calling it quit with the squad, as he says he gives himself only about three more years before retiring.
In what could be a notice of exit for the Nigerian selectors and officials, Diogu admitted he would have love to carry on much longer with the squad, which he will aim to captain for the last time at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, which is now scheduled to hold next year July, but he acknowledged that age is no longer on his side.
Megasportsarena.com reports further that, allthough Diogu did not give a definite date on when he will call time on his career for both club and country, the former Golden State Warriors star said he will check his options after next year’s Afrobasket Championship in Rwanda.
Diogu, who was part of D’Tigers’ squads to both London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympic Games as well as the 2015 FIBA Afrobasket gold medal winning team and silver medalists two years later in Tunisia, said he has enjoyed every minute of his days in the national team.
He recounted the inspiration he got from watching earlier D’Tigers’ stars like Julius Nwosu and Tunji Awojobi, who inspired him to play for Nigeria, as well as while also playing alongside Olumide Oyedeji, after who he became one of the longest serving captains of the Nigerian squad.
He added during Mega Mega Sports on Star 101.5 FM, Lagos that he just has to call it time when his body tells him to stop, but pointed out that it would not be a sad moment, because he feels that he has been able to accomplished everything he wanted in his career.
Ikechukwu Somtochukwu Diogu was born September 11, 1983 in Buffalo, New York, USA to Nigerian parents, who moved to America in 1980 to pursue further education and later moved to Garland, Texas, where he first attended Austin Academy and later on Garland High School.
The 36-year-old star, who has played for a total of 16 different clubs, stands at 6 foot 9 inches (2.06 m) tall, which is considered slightly undersized for an NBA power forward, but he makes up for his lack of height with his muscle, girth and 7’4″ arms span.
Diogu attended Arizona State University, where he excelled on the institution’s basketball team under Rob Evans, garnering several honors in the Pac-10 Conference and nationally, with his top personal honours being Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.
After emerging Pac-10 Player of the Year in his final season with ASU, as a Junior, many slam-dunk experts speculated that Diogu would enter the NBA draft after playing for his third season with Arizona State, but it was not until June 21, 2005 that he made that decision.
Subsequently, among his former teams in the USA are Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, while his clubs in Asia are Xinjiang Flying Tigers, Capitanes de Arecibo, Guangdong Southern Tigers, Leones de Ponce,Bakersfield Jam, Leones de Ponce, Dongguan Leopards, Guangdong Southern Tigers, Jiangsu Monkey King and Sichuan Blue Whales.
He hit the highest point of personal honours at national team level when he was named was named most valuable player (MVP) of the 2017 FIBA Afrobasket tournament after averaging 22 points, 8.7 rebounds; but now he is thinking of calling it time on a really edifying career.
Diogu submitted: “It has been interesting, but I am thinking of leaving in the next there years, I have enjoyed every day in the team, the players and coaches have been great. It’s something that will be tough to do, but no one can go on forever. Now I am thinking of the next stage.
“I don’t have any time frame right now. Hopefully, I can play for another two years and see what happens. Let us see how the body is and how everything goes. I am closer to the end than the beginning, but it has been an unbelievable ride. It has been an honour serving my country.
“I am not scared because it is mission accomplished. I did everything I was supposed to do in the national team, raised the awareness to the ultimate level. People know about the team now. I get different messages from young Nigerian athletes asking how they can be a part of the national team and that has been my ultimate goal. So there is nothing to be scared of.”
