Nigerian British Basketball Player Set Sights on Huge Accomplishments

The rising profile of Nigerian-British basketball player Divine -Blessing Obamakinwa is generating rave reviews in the United Kingdom.

Obamakinwa continued to put up impressive numbers for Liverpool Basketball II Club in the ongoing National Basketball League(NBL) Conference Championship.

Looking ahead to this Sunday’s(17 November 2024) clash with Bolton State University Basketball Club, the 6ft 7 inches center said they were determined to protect their immaculate start to the season.

“In our next game against Bolton University, we will come out forcefully to continue our winning streak, though we have never lost any game since we gained promotion to NBL  Division 4 but that will not make us to look down on our opponents,” he stated.

Obamakinwa’s contribution to Liverpool’s impressive campaign remains eye-catching.

He scored 20 points in his team’s 157-48 away victory over Stockport Basketball Club last weekend to finish 2nd highest scorer in the game.

Despite the blowout victory, Obamakinwa and his teammates are not getting carried away in the championship.

“The team aims is to cross each line whenever they get there.  Every game should be taken step by step until we get to the NBL Super League which is the biggest league in UK. The higher you go, the tougher the challenges are,” he told correspondent Philips Adefioye in the UK.

“The Stockport match was a good game, though in the first quarter, we made some mistakes and in the second quarter we bounced back as a team with confidence. Scoring 20 points should not be the limit of what I am targeting, but as the game progresses I will continue scoring with confidence whenever I find myself in a good position to score.”

Obamakinwa whose parents hail from Ondo and Ekiti States of South-western Nigeria nurses the ambition of representing the African country if the door is open.

His passion for Nigerian basketball was further ignited after a telephone conversation with former D’Tigers’ captain, Olumide Oyedeji who provided him with valuable words of encouragement.

In his words: “Olumide Oyedeji advice helped me hundred percent to increase my passion for the slam and dunk game. He admonished me to keep working hard and be focused in order to attain the greater height.”

Advancing his club career is also a top priority for Obamakinwa who sees himself landing in the NBA in the future.

He described Phoenix Suns’ power forward Kelvin Durant as his idol, due to the American’s style of play and his efficacy on the court.

“My ambition to move to the United State of America to further my basketball career in the NBA is still intact which can never be swept under the carpet.

“I watch Kelvin Durant a lot, he is very skillful and calculative on the  court of play, he is a game changer, which is why I take him as my role model,” he stressed.