After being selected by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2012 WNBA Draught, Nneka Ogwumike's career in the league got off to a quick start. Given her impressive stats, it's hardly surprise that she was chosen first in the WNBA draught. She was a standout performer while attending Stanford University, averaging 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game in her senior year. However, Ogwumike's influence went beyond the figures. Ogwumike, a natural leader, has held the position of WNBA Players Association President since taking it over in 2016. Ogwumike, however, admitted that her early years in the league were "daunting" since she joined a scene that was dominated by Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi.
Nneka Ogwumike recently appeared on the Knuckleheads Podcast where she talked about her initial year in the league. “It was daunting, it was scary,” she revealed, “When I entered the league, it was so interesting, it was all about the West. Like everybody in the West could ki** you. And that was something that I understood very early on.”