Chikoko to make ‘second debut’ at LNB All Star games

Nhlanhla Mbele

ZIMBABWE’S basketball icon Vitalis Chikoko will make his second debut in this year’s edition of the prestigious French National Basketball League (LNB)’s All Star games to be played at Paris AccorHotels Arena on 29 December.

The gigantic 28-year-old power forward, who is now registered in the books of (LNB) Metropolitans92, will be joining four of his team mates who have also been selected to feature in this year’s All Stars Games.

Four of Metropolitan 92 players including Chikoko, Bastien Pinaut, Rob Gray and Briante Weber, will feature in the All Stars Game while their coach Freddy Fauthoux was nominated as the All Stars Coach.

Chikoko said: “It feels really good to be one of the best in France and to be the only one to ever do it in Southern Africa. Being selected to feature for the second time in the All-Star games really means a lot and I want to continue making history for my country.”

Chikoko joined Metropolitans 92 five months ago from former French club Élan Béarnais Pau-Lacq-Orthez.

The LNB All-Star game is a higher profile basketball exhibition game hosted annually, pitting a mix of the league’s star players from France against a team of the best foreign players playing their trade in the league.

The former Prince Edward School pupil, made his breakthrough in European basketball in 2011 when he joined Bundesliga side ASC Göttingen from Mbare Heat before switching base to fellow German top-flight side TBB Trier.

Last year he was nominated for the French League’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, before being selected to feature in the league’s esteemed All-Star games.

“To my fellow Zimbabweans who follow me they know already I’m going to give everything on the court and this year I’m trying to get the MVP not just a nomination,” said Chikoko.