Kenyan international joins Nairobi City Thunder

Nairobi City Thunder, the Kenya Basketball Federation (KBF) men's league champions, have gone all out in assembling a squad for the upcoming Basketball Africa League (BAL).

Joining the team currently readying for the continental showpiece after winning the local league unbeaten is Kenya Morans forward Tyler Ongwae.

He joins the team from the Germany top-tier side Niners Chemnitz as he makes his debut in the Kenyan league, having plied his trade internationally throughout his career so far.

"I am coming home and excited about it. It's an honour to feature for the champions. Joining them gives me the chance to play for a team that is doing everything right in the local league. In return, we hope to see the other teams come of age and offer the much-needed competition that will see our game and league grow," Ongwae told Mozzart Sport. 

The 6’7” small forward/power forward, brings a wealth of experience and a proven track record having featured in Denmark, Italy, Ivory Coast, New Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, and the USA. 

Ongwae is known for his defensive prowess and has been recognized twice as the Defensive Player of the Year in the Danish Basketligaen where he featured for champions Bakken Bears. 

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Tylor Ongwae to the Nairobi City Thunder family,” said Thunder General Manager Kooshin Diriye. “His skills, leadership, and commitment to excellence align perfectly with our team’s values. We believe he will be a key contributor as we pursue our goal of becoming the first Kenyan team to qualify for BAL and continue our success in the Kenya Basketball Federation.”

Diriye says the addition of Ongwae further strengthens the team's roster as they look to not only defend their Kenyan title but make a strong push for BAL qualification. 

He joins a squad that has other key Kenya Morans players led by league MVP Albert Odero, Ariel Okall, Griffin Ligare, the playoffs MVP and SJAK's sports personality for July, Ken Wachira, Faheem Juma, Fidel Okoth among other standout talents. 

IOC faces criticism for alleged exploitation of athletes