The outstanding basketball player, Kiki Iriafen, has generated mixed feelings in the Nigerian Basketball Federation (NBBF). While they celebrate her success and the call-up to the United States team, they regret the possibility of not seeing her represent Nigeria internationally.
Iriafen, of Nigerian origin, was selected to participate in a training camp for the United States women’s national basketball team, which will take place from December 12 to 14 at Duke University in North Carolina.
We are proud of her achievements from college to the WNBA, and we have been monitoring her.
Statements from an NBBF official
USA Basketball’s selection of Iriafen makes his participation with Nigeria difficult, which saddens the Nigerian federation, who had been closely following the forward.
Despite this situation, the NBBF wishes Iriafen the best in his career with the American team, leaving the door open for him to represent Nigeria in the future.Kiki Iriafen, named to the WNBA All-Rookie team in 2025.Despite not representing Nigeria internationally, Iriafen maintains strong ties to his Nigerian culture.
In early November, she participated in the annual Battle of Jollof event in New York, where she wore the green and white colors of Nigeria to support the team coached by Arike Ogunbowale, which defeated Ghana 80-74, consolidating their victory.
Iriafen will join nine other players who will debut at the national team camp. Among them are her Mystics teammate, Sonia Citron, and figures like Paige Bueckers, Angel Reese, Lauren Betts, Cameron Brink, Veronica Burton, Caitlin Clark, Rickea Jackson, and JuJu Watkins.
Citron and Iriafen became the eighth and ninth players in franchise history, and the first pair of Mystics teammates, to be named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team.
Iriafen, chosen in the fourth round of the 2025 WNBA Draft, has had an exceptional rookie season, averaging 13.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game, with 48.8% field goal efficiency.
She was one of five players, along with Aliyah Boston, Kamilla Cardoso, Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas, and MVP A’ja Wilson, to average at least 12 points and 8 rebounds with 48 percent or more shooting efficiency during the 2025 season, and is one of seven rookies in WNBA history to achieve this.
In addition, she recorded a rookie record in 2025, and a franchise record in a single season, with 16 double-doubles, ranking fifth in the league. Iriafen joined Angel Reese as the only rookies in WNBA history with multiple streaks of double-doubles of four or more games.
Her 8.5 rebounds per game are the most for a rookie in franchise history and ranked fourth in the WNBA this season.
Finished third among all rookies in scoring, first in rebounds per game, second in field goal percentage, and led all rookies in second-chance points (2.8) and total free throws made (138) and attempted (176).
This adds to other franchise and WNBA records, including the franchise’s single-season rebounding record (376), being the first rookie in franchise history to earn the league’s Rookie of the Month award after averaging 13.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game in May; recording the most 10+ point and 5+ rebound games in a single season in franchise history and the second-most 10+ point and 5+ rebound games by a rookie in WNBA history (31), and accumulating a franchise rookie record of 19 games with 10+ rebounds (the fourth-most by a rookie of all time).
The rest of the camp will feature the 2024 Olympic gold medalists Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Brittney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young, along with Brionna Jones, champion of the 2022 FIBA World Cup.
Copper and Gray are also world champions, while Plum (2022, 2018) and Griner (2018, 2014) are two-time World Cup champions. Dearica Hamby, who won a bronze medal in 3×3 at the Paris 2024 Olympics, completes the list.
