Nneka Ogwumike announced Wednesday that she is retiring from the WNBA after 15 seasons.
The WNBA champion and league MVP announced the news on “Boardroom Talks” that this season will be her last.
“I learned that there is power in knowing when to walk away,” Ogwumike said in a statement. “For so long, that strength has meant finding ways to keep pushing. Now, it means recognizing when you feel complete. I find myself grateful, fulfilled and at peace with everything this game has given me and everything I’ve put into it.”
Ogwumike was selected No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2012 WNBA Draft.
She went on to be named Rookie of the Year, and went on to earn 11 All-Star honors, eight All-WNBA selections and seven All-Defensive Team selections, in addition to her 2016 WNBA title and MVP award. In 2024, Ogwumike signed with the Seattle Storm after 12 seasons with the Sparks — during which she averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals — citing, among other things, the chance to play for an organization that gives its players world-class treatment. Storm was among the first organizations to invest in a state-of-the-art training center dedicated exclusively to the team.
In two seasons with the Storm, she averaged 17.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals.
“There is no story of the recent growth and evolution of the WNBA without Nneka Ogwumika,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a statement. “Her extraordinary career has been defined not only by excellence, but also by the way she has led and uplifted those around her. She is a champion and MVP, one of the most successful players of all time, and a fierce competitor who has represented the best our game has to offer. For 15 seasons, Nneka has led, competed with grace and determination, bravery and determined generosity and thoughtfulness that has earned the admiration of everyone in our game.
“Nneka will retire at the end of this season leaving the WNBA much better than she thought it would be – a testament not only to the player she was, but also to the person and leader she is. I have been fortunate to work closely with Nneka over the years and am inspired by her passion and unwavering commitment to the players. It was her privilege and still is a privilege, and basketball was a privilege to watch there, and basketball is still a privilege.” to be played this season, we congratulate her on an outstanding career and look forward to celebrating her in the coming months.”
Arguably more impressive than what Ogwumike has accomplished on the court is the work she has done on the court. Ogwumike served as president of the National Women’s Basketball Association for 10 years, helping to lead negotiations for two (2020 and 2026) collective bargaining agreements. Before being nominated for union president, she served as vice president for two years for Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings Hall of Famer.
The work she’s done has never been more significant than this past round of negotiations, when she helped secure the largest salary increase in professional sports, capping growth roughly 367 percent from $1.5 million to $7 million.
“Nneka Ogwumika’s impact on this union, and the women’s game, cannot be overstated,” WNBPA CEO Terri Carmichael Jackson said in a statement. “Her leadership has been outstanding. She has served this union with a level of commitment, courage, integrity and purpose that is truly unmatched.”
Ogwumike re-signed with the Sparks this offseason on a one-year deal, and as recently as last week discussed her approach to free agency. She continues to play at an All-Star level, averaging 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and three assists per game this season.
Ogwumike will remain president of the WNBPA until the next election, which is expected to be held before the end of the calendar year.
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier is the first vice president of the WNBPA and has taken a more vocal approach to her leadership style throughout the league in recent years. New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart and Dallas Wings forward Alysha Clark serve as the union’s other two vice presidents. Sky center Elizabeth Williams is the union secretary and Las Vegas Aces forward Brianna Turner is the treasurer. All are potential successors to Ogwumike.
Every position except Collier’s is up for election. Collier ran for and was elected first vice president in June.
“As president for the last decade, Nneka understood that leadership is not just about sitting at the table, but using that seat to move the game and the business of the game forward for every player – today and for generations to come,” said Carmichael Jackson. “We are deeply grateful for the countless ways Nneka supported her teammates, strengthened this union and helped shape its future. We celebrate her extraordinary career and the next chapter ahead. Nneka’s legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of this union and women’s basketball.”