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African Hoop Dreams - Soccer may be the dominant sport in Nigeria, but a burgeoning basketball culture has begun to blossom in the West African nation. A group of former NBA and college basketball players and experienced coaches have joined forces with the Nigerian Basketball Federation to develop the raw talents of youth from their West African homeland. Keep reading to learn more about the dedicated people working to make Nigeria’s hoop dream a reality.—Patrice Peck, with reporting from Associated Press(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Hometown Hero - Throughout his legendary career with the Houston Rockets, the two-time NBA champion and 12-time All-Star Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon proved that Nigerians could play just as well as their American counterparts. Now, about 30 years after a young Olajuwon left his hometown of Lagos, Nigeria, to pursue the American pastime seriously, a new generation of Nigerian hopefuls has discovered a passion for the sport.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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The Game Changer - As the first African-born general manager for an American major league sports team, Nigerian native Masai Ujiri has first-hand knowledge of the sports opportunities available to young Nigerian talent overseas. In addition to serving as the Toronto Raptors general manager, Ujiri directs the Basketball Without Borders Africa program and spearheads his own training camps in Nigeria.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Training the Next Generation - Also setting the bar high for his compatriots is Nigerian native Olumide Oyedeji (right). The former Seattle Supersonics and Orlando Magic center who now plays professionally in Japan also launched his own camp in his hometown.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Photo By Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba

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Aspiring to Dunk - The Associated Press recently followed Oyedeji as he coached at least 250 kids from the age of five and up in a Lagos neighborhood.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Photo By Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba

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Teach Them Young - At Oyedeji’s camp, the eager youngsters practiced layups, passes and basic dribbles.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Pay It Forward - Underprivileged children are given the chance to learn a new sport and spend time with Oyedeji, a national hero, at the subsidized camp.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Hope for the Future - "Nigeria is my home. I started this camp so I can share my experiences," Oyedeji told AP. "I hope we can contribute to their lives and give them hope for the future because that's what basketball gave me. I had a difficult childhood."(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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A Good Education - Ideally, every promising youngster in Nigeria would receive the opportunity to hone their talent at experienced academic institutions in the U.S., while also receiving a top-notch education. But thanks to a group of dedicated individuals, an increased offering of local opportunities is also provided to those hopefuls remaining in Nigeria.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Spreading Like Wildfire - Basketball fever has infiltrated both local high schools and universities, where teams and leagues have been started.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Nigerian Franchises - Several franchises, such as the Mark Mentors, Kano Pillars, Union Bank and Dodan Warriors, have also emerged in a number of states. A Nigerian Final Four tournament is also held in September, as shown above.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Each One Teach One - Former Georgetown player Joe Touomou is the head coach of the state franchise, Mark Mentors. The Nigerian native, who also serves as a consultant to the Nigerian Basketball Federation, discovered his calling to coach after an injury he received as a college athlete.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Impressive Players - "Every time I came here I was impressed by the potential. The size, the athleticism, the strength of the players," Touomou told AP about Nigeria. "The one thing I knew was lacking was the skills. A lot of players were not polished yet, a lot of players lacked game experience, a lot of players lacked good coaching."(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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How to Make a Living on the Court - Even though many young Nigerians see basketball as a means of keeping out of trouble and providing for their family, only those lucky enough to play abroad attain lucrative careers in the sport. “The reality right now is the average salary in the Nigerian league is only about $100 a month,” Touomou told AP. "Not enough for a kid to live off."(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Presidential Advice - Tijjani Umar, the president of Nigeria’s Basketball Federation, told AP that the country “needs the private sector to take interest.”(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Sponsorships - According to AP, a subsidiary of the sports management group IMG and Nike have both shown interest in Nigeria’s blossoming basketball culture, with the former having agreed to be the official uniform provider for the national team (not pictured).(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Abiodun Francis Ayetimiyi - AP also spoke with 16-year-old Abiodun Francis Ayetimiyi, a naturally gifted player whose hard work and honed skills earned him a coveted spot at the recent Basketball Without Borders camp in South Africa. He was one of seven Nigerians selected to attend the talent-scouted event.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

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Work Hard, Play Hard - "In my country I'm known here, but I want to be known elsewhere. I want my hard work to be seen by agents, coaches. I'd like to finish high school in the U.S. They don't need to put much work into me," Ayetimiyi told AP.(Photo: AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)