Women’s basketball has changed over the years. From playing opportunities in the WNBA to Overseas, the professional level for women’s basketball continues to rise. Nicole Enabosi is no stranger to participating in sports as she started playing basketball at the age of 9 and cheerleading at the age of 3. By age 9, the AAU coach Enabosi played for noticed her height and invited her to practice with the AAU team. From there, Enabosi left cheerleading and focused on basketball. During her time at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Nicole dominated the courts as she averaged 18 points per game, which led to her becoming part of the 1,000-points club and being nominated as a McDonald’s All-American. Between 2014-2015 Enabosi’s skills landed her accolades such as 2014 Most Oustanding Player, 2014 Team MVP, 2014 BWGIT Most Outstanding Player, 2014-15 WCAC Player of the Year, Back-to-back First Team Selection by All-Met, WCAC, and All-Gazette. Basketball wasn’t the only sport that Nicole succeeded in at Our Lady Good Counsel. In her senior year, Enabosi was a member of the track and field team where she also earned multiple medals in the high jump event. 

Nicole began her collegiate career at the University of Delaware. In her rookie year, Enabosi made a name for herself as she played all 31 games and started 16 of them, and also became the first player in the program's history to record a double-double in each of the first three games. Her playing style would land Nicole a spot on the CAA All-Rooke Team, being named CAA Rookie of the Week four times, and soon being named the team’s Most Improved Player.  Enabosi’s stats in her first year as a Delaware Blue Hen would include 798 minutes, 220 rebounds, 33 blocks, 39 steals, 21 assists, and 275 points. In sophomore year, Nicole’s game improved as she started and played in all 29 games. Enabosi led the Blue Hens in five statistical categories, averaged a double-double of 13.7 ppg (points per game) and 10 rebounds per game, and ranked in the top 20 in NCAA Division I with 16 double-doubles in that season. Nicole’s spectacular sophomore season would lead her to earn CAA Player of the Week (twice), All-CAA First Team, All-Defensive, UD Alumni Association Team MVP, and College Sports Madness CAA Player of the Week (twice) as her stats totaled 939 minutes, 289 rebounds, 67 assists, 26 blocks, 53 steals, and 397 points. Enabosi’s junior year would be a historical one as she helped guide Delaware to the team’s most wins with 19 and their first postseason appearance since the 2013-14 season. During the season, Nicole led the CAA in points per game with 18, rebounds per game with 11.8, and defensive rebounds per game with 8.9, which was ranked 5th in the nation, and made in the Top 10 of eight statistical categories in the CAA as well as finished the season in the Top 10 of nine Delaware single-season categories (1st  in rebounds, double-doubles, 2nd in free throw attempts, 3rd in minutes played, 5th in points, rebounds per game, blocked shots, free throws made, and 7th in field goals made). Nicole’s spectacular junior year would lead to her many achievements such as CAA Player of the Week (4x), College Sports Madness CAA Player of the Week (4x), All-CAA First Team, CAA All-Defensive Team, Team Chairwoman of the Boards Awards, UD (University of Delaware) Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year, UD Alumni Association Team MVP, D1’s Woman Basketball HERO of the Week, Saint Joseph’s Hawk Classic Tournament Team, and CAA Player of the Year. Nicole’s seasonal stats bested her previous two seasons as she totaled 1,112 minutes, 577 points, 387 rebounds, 72 assists, 64 steals, and 61 blocks. The 2018-19 season would be a different story for Nicole. In the Spring of 2018, Nicole received an invitation to attend the Nigerian National Basketball Team Training Camp. During a scrimmage, Enabosi went for a pass that was thrown by her teammate and accidentally landed her leg unusually. The situation would lead to Nicole learning that she had torn her ACL and would be out for the 2018-19 season of college ball. In the 2019-20 campaign, Nicole bounced back after missing an entire season for the Blue Hens and made her senior year an unforgettable one. After missing nearly 16 months, Enabosi returned to the court where she averaged 22.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 steals as well as led Delaware to their first two wins of the season in late November. Enabosi’s game continued to improve where she once again was ranked in eight CAA statistical categories, broke the school rebounding record with 12 boards against Towson, and scored a season-high 32 points against Santa Clara. Nicole’s comeback season would lead her to be selected for Preseason All-CAA Team, All-CAA First Team, CAA Player of the Week (2x), All-ECAC Second Team, College Sports Madness CAA Player of the Week, Titan Classic All-Tournament Team, and Team Chairwoman of the Boards award and her final season statistical totaled to 792 minutes, 427 points, 210 rebounds, 53 assists, 41 steals, and 21 blocks. Throughout her collegiate career at Delaware, Enabosi’s overall statistical career tallied up to 3,641 minutes, 1,676 points, 1,097 rebounds, 213 assists, 197 steals, and 141 blocks, and only the third player in Delaware Women’s Basketball program history to secure both 1,500 career points and 1,000 career rebounds.

Student-athletes must fulfill specific academic requirements to continue to be a part of a team. For Nicole, she explains how having an excellent academic support team is important. “When playing in college, I had a great academic advisor who helped take care of the athletes on and off the court,” Enabosi states. Nicole continues to explain how important time management and organization are within the academic aspect. “I’m a very organized person as I made sure to write down all the assignments as well as complete them early as possible. Also, I stayed on top of school work since it was essential to me.” Enabosi’s hard work in the classroom led to her being awarded CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll twice and CAA Commissioner's Fall Academic Honor Roll. With a bachelor's degree in Business and Economics along with a Master’s in International Business under her belt, Nicole sees both studies being applied in sports as they helped form international connections with people every day for her and are being utilized during her time playing overseas. 

Women’s basketball has continued to grow through different avenues. From certain WNBA players receiving shoe deals to the powerful tool of social media being utilized to showcase the greatness of women’s basketball, Nicole sees the sport increasing each year. “Many more girls have become more interested in basketball and can see more of it due to social media,” Enabosi states.  “It’s great to see the girls’ talents and the highlights on Twitter are unique, too.” Not only does women’s basketball continues to grow in participants, but it also brings role models for both current and future generations. For Nicole, she cites Washington Mystics’s  Elena Delle-Donne and Los Angeles Sparks and the WNBPA President, Nneka Oguwumike as the two people that inspire her game. Both Delle-Donne and Oguwumike provide greatness to the game as they have the drive and championship mindset that influences Enabosi. As Delaware alumni herself, Elena Delle-Done and fellow Nigerian teammate, Nneka Ogukema are the main influences on why Nicole continues to play at the highest level as well as becoming a legend herself. 

Enabosi’s story provides the inspiration that is needed for athletes (present or future). Nicole details how she and her story separate from others as she was blessed to take her talents to play for the Nigerian National Team. “It’s one thing playing basketball, but it is another thing getting to represent an entire nation," Enabosi states. It is definitely a huge blessing to represent an entire country by playing the sport that you love as Nicole continues to display that passion with Nigeria through basketball.

For more information on Nicole and her story, be sure to follow her on Instagram: nicole_33_