Okonkwo signs with Portland Fire for rest of season

Nigerian basketball star Amy Okonkwo has signed a rest-of-season contract with the WNBA team Portland Fire, according to PUNCH Sports Extra. This move marks Okonkwo's return to the WNBA after previous stints with the Atlanta Dream and Dallas Wings, where she previously made a significant impact off the bench.

Okonkwo joins the Fire as a replacement player under the WNBA’s Season-Ending Injury Exception, filling a roster spot due to a series of injuries to the team. Her signing comes after a successful period where she led the Nigerian national team, D’Tigress, to their fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s AfroBasket title in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. During that tournament, she secured her third continental crown and was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive edition.

Her WNBA career includes previous spells with Dallas and Atlanta, where she impressed during her initial time with the Wings before earning a rest-of-season deal. Okonkwo also recently linked up with the D’Tigress squad as they prepare for the upcoming FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. The forward began her college career at the University of Southern California before transferring to Texas Christian University.