The Olympics always spelled trouble for the women’s basketball team of Nigeria. Heading into the  2024 edition, they had only one win at the games, which came twenty years ago. That was all about to change as Amy Okonkwo was determined to make her dream come true. Their game against Canada gave her a chance to do so. Although she suffered an injury to her shoulder, she eventually returned to the game and punched Nigeria’s ticket to the Quarter-final of the Olympics. When Amy exited the Pierre Mauroy Stadium after the win, her family hugged her while those around cheered her name. Her family and friends then danced whilst singing “we made it”, referencing Nigeria’s first appearance at the Quarter-final stage.

When asked if she comes from a family of sports lovers, Amy shed light on their athletic pursuits, “Yes, all of us played some sport. My sister’s played basketball. Her older sister also did track and field. So we all love basketball. We all love track and we all just support each other.” As Amy continues to create history for Nigeria, it wasn’t where her basketball journey began.

Where is Amy Okonkwo from? What’s her nationality? 

Although Amy Okonkwo belongs to Rancho Cucamonga, California. Her love for basketball and her roots would eventually take her back to Nigeria. Since both Nigeria and the USA allow dual citizenship, Amy is a national of both countries but chose to represent Nigeria at the international level.

 What is Amy Okonkwo’s ethnicity?

Amy is a proud Nigerian and has contributed immensely to the advancement of Nigerian basketball. She has been a key member of the Nigerian women’s national basketball team, known as the D’Tigress, participating in major tournaments such as the Olympics in Tokyo and Paris. Their win in Paris ensured Nigeria climbed to 9th in the current FIBA World Ranking, and closed 2024 at No.8. It was also the first time they reached the Quarter-final, and it was nothing short of a dream come true for captain Amy Okonkwo.

She has also represented Nigeria at the FIBA Women’s AfroBasket in 2021 and 2023. The 2023 edition was particularly special for Amy, as she not only took the championship home but was also crowned MVP for her exceptional displays. 

Her love for her motherland is visible in her music taste as well as she is a fan of fellow Nigerian star Burna Boy. His song “It’s Plenty” is one of the songs that Amy listens to hype herself up.

Which high school did Amy Okonkwo attend?

Amy Okonkwo went to Etiwanda High, located in California. This was where Okonkwo would build her basketball repertoire. During her junior year, she averaged 16 points and 10 rebounds per game and was named the 2013 Inland Valley Player of the Year for her performances. Amy also began to further challenge herself and started playing for clubs such as R/C Bulls and West Coast Premier.

While her averages dropped to 13.7  points and 8.3 rebounds in her senior year, she was ranked as the No. 92 prospect in the nation. She was also named to the Los Angeles Times’ All-Star Team later. After an impressive high school career in California, she decided to stay home and committed to play at USC. She averaged 7.1 minutes in 27 games during her lone season as a Trojan.

She is now set to compete for a spot at the Connecticut Sun, and we know it is never an easy feat in the WNBA. But Amy only gets better when the odds are stacked against her. She’s here and she does not plan on leaving Connecticut soon.