Onome Akinbode-James

Onome was (born on March 9, 2000) in Abeokuta, Ogun State, South western Nigeria. She had her primary Education in Abeokuta. She was in her secondary school in Nigeria when she started playing basketball at the age of 14.[3] She transferred to Blair Academy in the United States where she completed her high school Education.[4]

Onome was recruited into Blair Academy after the FIBA Africa Under-16 Championship for Women. In her senior year she averaged 13.0 points, 11.8 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game.[5]

Onome gave a TED Talk at her high school Blair Academy during her senior year of high school. The talk is titled Africa, Country or Continent: The Broken Perception.[6]

Onome was recruited into the Duke Blue Devils by Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie. In her freshman season, she averaged 4 point and 5.7 rebounds per game.[7]

Onome represented Nigeria in the FIBA Africa Under-16 Championship for Women where she averaged 5.7 points, 10.3 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game during the tournament.[8][9] The Nigerian team won the silver medal after a 57–46 loss to Mali in the Final, thereby qualifying them to the World U-17 Championship for Women. Nigeria did not participate in the tournament.[10]