Female basketballer, Nkechi Akashili, would have ended up lacing the boots for a top football club in the country or somewhere in Europe.

Akashili

But her love for the dunking game won her over from the wish of her dad.

Nkechi’s dad had wanted the player currently making waves at the ongoing Zenith Bank Women Basketball League to play soccer but her passion for basketball did not allow her.

Beautiful Nkechi started going to basketball courts by following her elder sister, Sunnychi Akashili who played the game years back in the ancient city of Warri.

“I started playing the game in 2009 at Warri at the Secondary School level, but did not get the approval of my father who wanted me to be a footballer.

“But when we won the All Nigeria Secondary School Milo title and came back home with cartons of Milo drinks and the ticket to represent the country at the World Secondary Championship in Argentina, my father changed his mind and started supporting me,” she revealed.

On her return from South America, Akashili moved to Asaba to join the Delta State basketball team, Delta Force.

She hardly played two seasons at Delta Force before the prying eyes of scouts from First Deepwater caught up with her and she moved to Lagos.

She won the Zenith Bank Most Valuable Player with Deepwater at her first outing before First Bank went for her signature.

The University of Lagos graduate says she is not in a hurry to be a mother.

Nkechi said she would be looking forward to win her sixth Zenith Bank Women basketball league title this weekend in Lagos.

“I have won it five times in the past and will be going for the sixth this weekend,” Nkechi, who is aspiring to go abroad soon to continue with her exploits in the game, said.