Kenyan basketball champions Nairobi City Thunder strengthen squad with acquisition of Tyler Ongwae

Nairobi City Thunder are not resting on their laurels after winning the 2023-24 Kenya Basketball Federation Premier League with an impressive unbeaten record to claim their first ever KBF title.

The Shauri Moyo-based club won the league after winning all its 30 matches, 22 in the regular season and eight in the play-offs, and they are showing determination to repeat that feat with the acquisition of top-ranked Kenyan international Tyler Ongwae.

Already boasting the services of other international players and experienced players like Albert Odero, Faheem Juma, Griffins Ligare, Okall Koranga, and Ariel Ortega, the addition of 33-year old Ongwae bolsters the squad ahead of the next KBF Premier League season as well as the qualifiers for the 2025 Basketball Africa League season, Africa’s premier basketball club competition.

Ongwae, who stands 6’7” tall, excels as a small forward or a power forward and he brings a wealth of experience that will definitely ensure Nairobi City Thunder sustains their reputation as the best basketball team in Kenya following their acquisition by Twende Sports Limited in 2023.

The team is now co-owned by American entrepreneur Colin Rasmussen and former basketball player, the Nigerian American Stephen Domingo. While at the helm of the club, the duo has transformed the club to becoming the first professional basketball team in Kenya.

Ongwae has played professionally in various countries, exhibiting his skills for clubs in Denmark, Italy, Ivory Coast, New Zealand, Russia, Switzerland, Sweden, and the USA. Ongwae joins Nairobi City Thunder from the German club Niners Chemnitz with whom he won the 2024 FIBA Europe Cup.

Tylor Ongwae @Durangoo12 making history for @ninerschemnitz as they lifted their first European title! + Also for #Kenyan basketball as he becomes the first ever national to win an international championship! Great work 🇰🇪 https://t.co/U71FF2Cby9

— Gerard Colomé (@gerardcdg) April 25, 2024

Ongwae, who in 2021 scored a buzzer-beater as Kenya beat Angola 72-73 to return the country to AfroBsaket after a 28-year hiatus, also proved his pedigree in Denmark where he was named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2021 and 2022 while playing for the Bakken Bears. With the Bakken Bears, Ongwae also won the Danish Basketball League, the Basketligaen, for three seasons in a row (2019, 2020, and 2021) while also lifting the Danish Cup in 2020 and 2021.

While already looking forward to Ongwae making his impact on the court with his dynamic play and defensive intensity, Kooshin Diriye, the General Manager of Nairobi City Thunder exalted Ongwae as a player who will make a significant contribution in the club becoming the first team from Kenya to feature in the Basketball Africa League.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome Tylor Ongwae to the Nairobi City Thunder family. 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 the BAL qualifiers and continue our success in the Kenya Basketball Federation,” Diriye said.

On his part, Ongwae expressed his enthusiasm at joining the Nairobi City Thunder, saying, “I am honored to have the opportunity to play for the reigning champions in my home country. I am eager to contribute to the team's winning culture and bring my best to the court every game. I share the team's ambition to make history and compete at the highest level in Africa."