Nigeria’s Macaulay Earns All-Star Honour Despite D’Tigress’ Mixed Outing In France

Victoria Macaulay has been named in the All-Star Team of the 2025 FIBA Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament after a string of commanding displays for Nigeria.

The D’Tigress centre stood out across the competition in France, offering consistency in a campaign that swung between promise and frustration. Nigeria finished with two wins and three defeats, closing out their run with an 81-73 loss to Germany on Tuesday.

Macaulay, 35, proved a steady presence in the paint, combining strength with experience to anchor the African champions on both ends of the floor. Her performances did not go unnoticed.

“Nigeria had an up and down tournament, but one of their most consistent elements was the performances of their experienced frontcourt ace,” FIBA wrote on their official website.

“Macaulay used her know-how and strength in the paint and finished as a leader for the African champions in efficiency and scoring.”

Under head coach Rena Wakama, D’Tigress showed flashes of their quality but struggled to maintain rhythm against stronger opposition. Even so, Macaulay’s output remained reliable, often leading by example when the team needed composure.

France dominated the All-Star selections, with Janelle Salaun named Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Marine Johannes also included after impressive outings on home soil.

Germany’s Frieda Bühner secured her place following her side’s strong finish, while Korea’s Leesuel Kang completed the five-player list.