Draft:Educational Basketball

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Educational Basketball is a sports athlete development organization based in Lagos, Nigeria. It was founded in November 2015 by brothers Oluwatobilaiyemi (Olutobi) Adepitan and Iseoluwapolaiyemi (Iseolupo) Adepitan. The organization operates as a selective player development program and has been described as Africa's first premier select player development program.

Founding

Educational Basketball was established in Lagos, Nigeria in November 2015 by British-Nigerian brothers Olutobi Adepitan and Iseolupo Adepitan. The brothers were born in northwest London, England, and later relocated to Houston, Texas, where they trained in basketball and enrolled in John Lucas Enterprises Basketball Training and Development. In 2015, Iseolupo Adepitan returned to Nigeria. After observing the limited investment in athlete development in the country, he and his brother established Educational Basketball as a structured training program for young Nigerian athletes.

Programs and Operations

Educational Basketball operates as a selective enrollment program in Lagos, Nigeria. Training sessions are conducted in public parks due to the limited availability of dedicated sports facilities in the area. The program aims to secure athletic scholarships for participants and develop their skills for professional and collegiate sports careers in the United States and internationally. Athletes from various parts of Nigeria have participated in the program, with some traveling several hours to attend training sessions in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Expansion into American Football

In 2021, Educational Basketball established a connection with former NFL defensive end Osi Umenyiora, who was seeking Nigerian athletes for transition into American football. In October 2022, Educational Basketball trained seven of the twelve athletes who participated in the NFL International Pathway Program (IPP) Combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The organization subsequently expanded its operations to include American football development under the banner of Flourish Sports Group.

Notable Alumni

Several athletes who trained with Educational Basketball have gone on to professional and collegiate careers:

• David Agoha – A Lagos-based athlete who trained with Educational Basketball before transitioning to American football. He was selected for the NFL International Pathway Program and joined the Las Vegas Raiders, recording a sack in a preseason game in 2023.

• Sam Orji – An athlete who joined Educational Basketball in 2019. A training video of Orji sent to Osi Umenyiora in 2021 contributed to the establishment of the organization's involvement in American football development. Orji went on to join the NFL International Pathway Program in 2024.

• Emmanuel Okorafor – Identified by Educational Basketball in 2019 while residing in Festac, Lagos. He was subsequently admitted to the NBA Academy in Saly, Senegal, and later signed with the Louisville Cardinals basketball program.

• Emmanuel Ogbole – A basketball player who trained with the program and committed to play for Rutgers University in the United States.

• Emmanuel Okoye – A Nigerian athlete whose transition from basketball to American football was facilitated by the Adepitan brothers. He committed to the University of Tennessee Volunteers football program.