As the Los Angeles Sparks come to terms with the loss of their veteran court general, Nneka Ogwumike recently expressed how pleased she is with the way her storied career is coming to a close. The 15-season veteran, in conversation with Cari Champion and Jemele Hill on the Flagrant and Funny podcast, spoke about her decision to leave the WNBA on her own terms.

“I’ve always been the type of player that said, you know, I don’t want to get dragged off the court. I want to still feel good, you know, when I’m done. I think mentally I’m there,” Ogwumike said on Flagrant and Funny.

“I’d made the decision to come back to LA. No matter where I was going, I was intending to sign a two-year. Things happened in free agency. That didn’t happen. And it ended up being kind of a blessing in disguise because once I hit training camp, we had training camp in San Diego- and I was just walking along the beach, and I was like, ‘You know what?,’” she added.

Nneka Ogwumike was signed by the Sparks with the first overall pick in 2012 and remained with the team for 12 seasons before playing two seasons (2024 and 2025) with the Seattle Storm. She eventually returned to the Sparks in 2026 for what she would announce is her last season as a pro baller. The return to LA was a full-circle moment for the 11-time WNBA All-Star, ending her career right where she began it. Despite not getting the two-year contract she wanted, Ogwumike seems content leaving the league in the way she wanted. 

Ogwumike’s career has been nothing short of historic. Her debut year with the Sparks saw her win the prestigious Rookie of the Year award, as she averaged 14 PPG and 7.5 RPG. She followed this with a career-high regular-season average of 19.7 PPG in 2016, the same year she led the Sparks to a championship, ending a 14-year title drought for the team. She was also named the WNBA MVP for that season. 

Nneka Ogwumike’s achievements don’t end there. She is fourth on the all-time points list in the league, with 7,975. She is preceded only by legends such as Diana Taurasi (10,646), Tina Charles (8,396), and DeWanna Bonner (8,207). Ogwumike, who averages 8.9 rebounds even today, is third on the list of all-time rebounds, with 3,614. Not only is she an offensive weapon, but she also holds one of the highest steal totals in the history of the WNBA. With 713 steals registered across 15 seasons, Ogwumike is fourth on the list of all-time steals. 

But her career is not marked only by on-court brilliance. Ogwumike has also served as the President of the WNBPA (Women’s National Basketball Players Association) for a decade. She has been the voice of the players through two landmark CBAs (Collective Bargaining Agreements) in 2020 and 2026, the latest of which allowed for one-year maximum contracts worth $1.4 million and average salaries to go up to $583,000. All the activity outside the court is what has been weighing Ogwumike down, as she told Champion and Hill.

“I had a little bit left to pour out coming out of that CBA. That took a lot out of me, and I was just really grateful to have been able to witness so many different iterations of the league…If I could just show up and play, I would be cool. But all of the in-between, which is the necessary part of being a pro, it eventually wears on you.”

So as Nneka Ogwumike moves on to a more relaxing part of her life, the Sparks have prepared a retirement celebration for the veteran. The Sparks will play the Golden State Valkyries on September 24, which will mark their last home game this season. The team has stated that the game will also be a celebration of Ogwumike’s career as well as the 10th anniversary of their 2016 WNBA championship win. 

As Ogwumike moves on from the hardwood, the WNBA seems to have another very important position ready for her to fill. 

Nneka Ogwumike Touted as Candidate for Cathy Engelbert’s Position

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has announced that she will be retiring from the position of WNBA Commissioner at the end of her current tenure, and it has sent the WNBA media into a frenzy regarding who will be picked as the next commissioner. Prominent WNBA reporter Alexa Philippou and sportswriter Michael Voepel came out with a list on ESPN of the top potential candidates for Engelbert’s position on September 8.

Nneka Ogwumike’s name emerged as one of the top prospects.

For Ogwumike, moving to the position of WNBA Commissioner would be a direct reversal of the role she has played so far. She has been the voice of the players for a decade now, and becoming Commissioner would mean she would now have to be on the opposite side in CBA negotiations. She would need to be answerable directly to stakeholders and owners.

But in her defense, she also brings with her a wealth of experience dealing with the WNBA higher-ups. She also brings 15-seasons of experience as a player, which gives her an intricate understanding of the players’ needs, which is essential for a Commissioner. 

The other candidates named by Philippou and Voepel include WNBA legend Swin Cash, New York Liberty CEO Keia Clarke, Deputy Commissioner of the NBA Mark Tatum, among others. 

Despite Ogwumike potentially taking over her role as Commissioner, Engelbert was full of praise for the veteran player, as she released a statement about Ogwumike’s retirement, per NBA Communications.

“There is no telling the story of the WNBA’s recent growth and evolution without Nneka Ogwumike. Her extraordinary career has been defined not only by excellence, but by the way she has led and lifted those around her. She is a champion and MVP, one of the most accomplished players of all time, and a fierce competitor who has represented the very best our game has to offer. For 15 seasons, Nneka has led with grace and conviction, competed with an unmistakable spark, and carried herself with a generosity and thoughtfulness that have earned the admiration of everyone across our game.”

After one of the greatest WNBA careers in the league’s history, Nneka Ogwumike will now retire from active play on the terms that she wanted. She will leave the Sparks arena with her head held high as a player who defined what the franchise is.