D’Tigress and Atlanta Dream guard Ezinne Kalu sets her sights on winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).

The 32-year-old had an impressive campaign at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, where she helped Nigeria become the first African country to reach the quarterfinals. Recently, Kalu fulfilled her dream of playing in the WNBA by joining the Atlanta Dream.

In doing so, the New Jersey native became the first Black athlete from a historically Black college to compete in the WNBA in over 15 years, a milestone she celebrated with a post on her X handle on Thursday.

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Her university coach, Cedric Baker, praised Kalu’s dedication and leadership, reflecting on her pivotal role in helping the Tigers secure their Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship in 2015.

Kalu has represented Nigeria at the Afrobasket tournaments in 2017, 2019, and 2021, contributing to the team’s three consecutive championships as Africa’s highest-ranked side. She was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the 2019 Women’s Afrobasket.