Fifteen years after Ike Diogu was a first-round NBA draft pick, Nigerians are setting records.
Diogu was the lone Nigerian-American among a group of international players selected back in 2005. This year, a whole starting five and then some could be built from all the picks with Nigerian ties.
"I saw the wave that was coming, but I was just happy the rest of the world got to see it," said the 37-year-old Diogu, the captain of Nigerian national team.
The NBA hailed last week's draft as "historic" because for the first time two players from Nigeria were first-rounders, and another six who have at least one Nigerian parent were also picked.