D’TIGERS player Jordan Nwora will be heading to the Tokyo Olympics as a champion after winning the NBA title, the world’s most recognised prize in basketball, with the Milwaukee Bucks.
The 22-year-old rookie will head to Japan as the first Nigerian national player in history to win the NBA title.
Meanwhile it was another Nigerian who dominated the Finals’ Game Six on Wednesday morning to give Milwaukee a 4-2 victory over the Phoenix Suns, who had won the first two games of the series.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the ‘Greek Freak’ born to Nigerian parents, scored 50 points to lead Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA title since 1971 by defeating the Phoenix Suns 105-98.
The Bucks also became only the fifth team to claim the NBA crown after dropping the first two contests.
Greek national team star Antetokounmpo, only the seventh player in finals history with a 50-point game, also had 14 rebounds and five blocked shots as the Bucks went a NBA-best 10-1 at home in the playoffs to end their 50-year title drought.
“I want to thank Milwaukee for believing in me. I want to thank my teammates for playing hard with me,” Antetokounmpo, 26, said in his post-game interview.
“I’m thankful I was able to get it done.”
Despite a knee problem, Antetokounmpo matched Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon (another Nigerian who won the NBA title but did not play for Nigeria) as the only players to take NBA Finals Most Valuable Player and NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season.
“He’s a special human being. I’ve learned so much from him. He’s a special leader,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer. “These players are champions every day. They’ve embraced getting better every day.”
“I’m happy I was able to do it with this team for Milwaukee,” said Antetokounmpo. “And Coach Bud says we have to do it again.”
The Suns failed in their quest for the first crown in their 53-year history.
Phoenix guard Chris Paul, playing in the first NBA Finals of his 16-year at age 36, led the Suns with 26 points.
