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After years of telling his NBA colleagues that they underestimated African players, Brooklyn Nets scout and Giants of Africa (GOA) co-founder Godwin Owingje is finally speaking out. He said he believes he is being proven right.
Prior to his current role with the Nets, Owingje worked in various capacities with the Detroit Pistons, Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Bobcats and Philadelphia 76ers.
But when asked what he was most proud of during his NBA career, Owingje reflected on the times he stood up for African players in various boardrooms around the league.
“Can I say what I was most proud of? Just being in the war room, debating with other scouts and trying to protect my continent,” Owingje told ESPN.
“Those are some of the moments that I really cherish, having discussions with other scouts about African players, why we should really start thinking differently about African kids. Because it’s coming. It’s coming. It’s going to take a while, but it’s coming.”
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It’s no secret that the Brooklyn Nets are planning to bet big on the 2025 NBA Draft. As of this writing, they currently have six picks.
“For us, the Nets, this is special because we have a lot of draft picks, so we can’t do it wrong. With all the assets we have, we definitely have to get it right. “It’s been a long time since we’ve had a draft,” Owinge said.
“We’re in rebuild mode, full rebuild mode, so we have to get this year’s draft right by drafting players with Nets DNA.
“That’s why this is a special year for us as college scouts (and) international scouts. , we have to search everywhere.” That’s why this year’s draft is so important to us. ”
Brooklyn Nets star Dennis Schroder’s mother is from Gambia, but he was born and raised in Germany. During the 2023-4 season, approximately 10 percent of the NBA was made up of players of African descent. David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images
Much of what happens in the draft may be beyond the Nets’ control, but Owinge expects the notable candidates to include a number of African players, regardless of who captures them.
Owingje further added, “African kids, gone are the days when people used to say negative things about them. All the jargon.”
“The continent has come a long way in eradicating the terms used to describe African children.
“Ulrich Chomche was drafted this year. There are many other players who are likely to be drafted. Over the last five to seven years, Africa has been making a name for itself in the draft process.”
Karman Maluha of the Duke Blue Devils, Ruben Chiniel of the Florida Gators, and Chomche will work under technical director Roland Houston and associate technical director Joe Tuomou (the latter played with Owingje at Georgetown). He graduated from NBA Academy Africa in Senegal.
Owinge teamed up with another old friend, current Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri, to found Giants of Africa in 2003, which runs camps and provides further education for boys and girls across the continent. gave the opportunity.
Born in Nigeria, Godwin Owinge played college at Georgetown, went on to a scouting career in the NBA, and co-founded the Giants of Africa with Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri. Getty Images
Precious Achiuwa of the New York Knicks is one of the Giants of Africa’s biggest success stories, helping the Port Harcourt community by renovating the courts of Basketball Africa League (BAL) bronze medalist Rivers Hoopers. I returned the favor.
This made Owinye every bit as proud as his scouting successes. After all, by giving back, Achiuwa and others who have come through GOA are practicing exactly what he and Ujiri preached.
“That’s what we preach when we run our camps. That’s what we preach to our kids. When you have the chance, when your platform is big enough to give back, please do it. ” Owingje said.
“Precious is one of those kids who used to sit on the floor at the African Giants basketball camp back in the day. It wasn’t that long ago actually. Look at what he’s doing. African Giants Alumni There are a lot of Precious people doing the same thing.”
He added with emotion: “Sometimes I want to cry when I see them doing these things. I feel like what we started a long time ago is working. We are changing the lives of so many children. They’re just doing the same thing trying to impact the lives of more kids, and it just goes on and on. ”
Owinge hasn’t made as many headlines as Ujiri, a friend from high school and college, but their paths are similar. Both played professionally in Europe and then became scouts.
Owinge hasn’t yet succeeded Ujiri at the helm of the franchise, but that’s an ambition he certainly has.
Asked if it was on his agenda to be promoted to a similar role to Ujiri, he said, “Of course I am. I want to be in the front office.” “Five years from now, or sooner, I would like to be in a management position in the front office and making decisions.”
