Nneka Ogwumike’s Final Game Closes a Historic WNBA Chapter

When Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike steps onto the hardwood for her final professional game on Thursday, she will close the chapter on one of the most influential careers in the history of the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Her career began at Stanford University, where she led the Cardinal to four consecutive NCAA Final Four appearances. In 2012, the Sparks selected Ogwumike with the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft, and she earned WNBA Rookie of the Year honors after averaging 14 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

Two years later, her younger sister, Chiney Ogwumike, was selected first overall by the Connecticut Sun. The Ogwumike sisters became only the second set of siblings in American professional sports history to both be drafted No. 1 overall, joining NFL quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning.

Ogwumike’s individual and team peak came in 2016. She averaged 19.7 points per game, shot a historic 66.5% from the field, and won the league’s Most Valuable Player award. That season, she led the Sparks to the WNBA championship, sealing the title in a dramatic Game 5 against the Minnesota Lynx with a short-range basket in the final seconds.

Across her 15-year career, Ogwumike established herself as one of the most efficient and productive frontcourt players in league history. She ranks fourth all-time in scoring with 8,013 career points, trailing only Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, and DeWanna Bonner. Her totals also include 3,571 career rebounds, third all-time, and 716 steals, also third all-time.

On July 17, Ogwumike surpassed three-time MVP Lisa Leslie to become the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

“This is where it all started for me,” Ogwumike said of Los Angeles. “So very happy to be able to share this time, both the beginning and the end of my career in L.A., and I had a majority of my career playing for this organization, so it really does mean a lot to be able to finish in it as well.”

Ogwumike spent her first 12 seasons with the Sparks before departing for the Seattle Storm and returning to Los Angeles this season. The Sparks entered the campaign with high expectations after acquiring veteran guard Erica Wheeler and trading for Washington Mystics standout Ariel Atkins.

The rebuilding Sparks ultimately finished 10 games out of a playoff spot, extending a postseason drought that dates back to 2020. Despite the team’s struggles under head coach Lynne Roberts, Ogwumike devoted her final season to mentoring players who will carry the league forward.

She has spent significant time working with rookie forward Cameron Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft and a fellow Stanford alumnus. Ogwumike views Brink as a cornerstone for both the franchise and the league.

Her mentorship has also reached other young players across the league. Rookie forward Angel Reese said Ogwumike welcomed her to the professional ranks, checked in on her, and helped her navigate the business side of the sport ahead of the upcoming CBA opt-out window.

“She’s poured into me since I got into the league,” Reese said. “Kind of like one of my first vets, always being there for me, always texting me, and also really like educating me on the things that were going on, knowing that it was a big CBA coming up.”

Ogwumike’s departure marks the end of a career that bridged the WNBA’s developmental eras and its current period of explosive commercial growth. Her legacy includes Hall of Fame-caliber statistics and a transformative tenure as president of the WNBA Players Association (WNBAPA).

As head of the players’ union during the landmark 2020 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations, Ogwumike helped secure significant salary increases, fully paid maternity leave, progressive family-planning benefits, and improved travel conditions for players. Her leadership laid the groundwork for the current labor environment, which has empowered a new generation of players to maximize their off-court brands and financial opportunities.

“I’m really happy for her,” forward Gabby Williams, who played alongside Ogwumike during her recent stint with the Seattle Storm, said. “Happy she gets to take that next step. I know what it means to her. I’m glad her last year was pivotal for the CBA and she’ll always have her name written on that.”

As she prepares to walk away from the court, Ogwumike expressed contentment with retiring on her own terms.

“It feels freeing,” Ogwumike said. “It feels like there’s a level of autonomy that I’m able to have, and I’m very happy about that.”