Nneka Ogwumike has been a vital part of the WNBA’s growth on and off the court the past 15 seasons, from her decorated playing career to her tenure as president of the players’ union.
The 36-year-old eight-time All-WNBA forward announced Wednesday in that she鈥檒l retire at the end of the season.
鈥淚 feel very fulfilled with the 15 years that I鈥檝e been able to play and compete at such a high level,鈥� the Los Angeles Sparks star said. 鈥淓ven though I didn鈥檛 know what kind of player that I could be in this league, I never thought that I would play this long. Never thought that would be the type of player that I鈥檇 play this long.鈥�
The No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft out of Stanford, Ogwumike earned Rookie of the Year honors that season with Los Angeles. She was voted league MVP in 2016 when she helped lead the Sparks to the WNBA championship, hitting the title-winning shot in Game 5 with 3.1 seconds left.
鈥淣neka will retire at the end of this season leaving the WNBA much better than she found it 鈥� a testament not only to the player she has been, but to the person and leader she is,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. 鈥淚 have been fortunate to work closely with Nneka over the years and have been inspired by her passion and unwavering commitment to the players.
“It has been a privilege to watch her remarkable journey, and while there is still more basketball to be played this season, we congratulate her on an extraordinary career and look forward to celebrating her in the months ahead.鈥�
Ogwumike isn鈥檛 ending her basketball career entirely. She still plans on playing in Project B, the new basketball venture that will begin this winter and play all its games outside of the U.S. She was the first player signed with the organization that former Sparks teammate Alana Beard co-founded.
鈥淣neka has always led with a rare combination of strength, purpose and grace,” Beard said in a statement. 鈥淔or 15 seasons, we鈥檝e watched her give everything to this game, not only as an elite competitor but as a leader who has helped shape the league and lift up the people around her.鈥�
Ogwumike this year made the All-Star Game for an 11th time and is averaging nearly 17 points a game.
鈥淚t is a little bit my body: I still feel very good,鈥� Ogwumike said. 鈥淏ut I also feel the comfort of slowing down a little bit. I just feel content. I feel very content with where I鈥檝e left my career.鈥�
Ogwumike expressed pride in playing at the same time as the likes of Maya Moore and Tina Thompson, as well as Angel Reese and A’ja Wilson. Along the way, she was named one of the 25 players in the first 25 years of the WNBA and was a seven-time All-Defensive Team selection.
鈥淚 just feel like I have poured as much as I could into this game, and the last bit is this year of playing,鈥� Ogwumike said. 鈥淚鈥檓 proud of what I鈥檝e done.鈥�
Ogwumike in the interview also expressed contentment with the state of women’s basketball. WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson credited Ogwumike for extraordinary leadership as president of the union, which a transformative collective bargaining agreement.
鈥淪he has served this union with a level of commitment, courage, integrity and purpose that is truly unparalleled,鈥� Carmichael Jackson said in a text message. 鈥淣neka understood that leadership was not simply about having a seat at the table: It was about using that seat to move the game and the business of the game forward for every player 鈥� today and for generations to come.鈥�
Ogwumike was reelected for her fourth term as president in June. It鈥檚 unclear who will succeed her after she retires.
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