There likely aren't enough words to honor Nneka Ogwumike's impact on the WNBA. Still, for the last 36 days, her coaches, teammates and opponents have tried.
On Aug. 19, the Los Angeles Sparksforward announced she was retiring from the league following the 2026 season. The announcement sent shockwaves through a community that has long considered Ogwumike a pillar. Just one season after being named to the league's All-WNBA team, an honor reserved for the 10 best players, the 36-year-old is walking away.
Ogwumike will play the final game of her 15-season career Thursday, Sept. 14, against the Golden State Valkyries. Tributes have poured in for from players across the league, including one from her sister, Chiney, who played with Nneka for two seasons
at Stanford and four with the Sparks. Chiney described her sister as having "grace under pressure."
"I saw the back being put against the wall each and every day, on top of training for a 15th season, where she has chosen to come back to Los Angeles." Chiney said. "(That) was another expectation and pressure for her and celebration.
"Going into the season, one thing we'd always say was, 'If you're going to do this, at least do it in a place that you love. Finding different ways to be motivated is hard. Each and every year, there's something as an athlete, when you approach a season, it's like, 'What is my personal goal? Why am I doing this?'"
In April, Ogwumike announced her intention to re-sign with Los Angeles in 2026, the franchise where she played her first 12 seasons before leaving in free agency for Seattle for the last two. Ogwumike shared her decision by captioning a video montage of her Sparks highlights, "It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon."
Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier told USA TODAY she understood Ogwumike returning to her home market, but was still "a little surprised" by her retiring now."The way that she's so dominant, she did not have to retire this year. She's still so dominant, having MVP numbers. She's not had a drop-off, which is insane to have this kind of longevity and to stay at the top of your game for so long," Collier said. "Just knowing that she's won championships and MVPs in the past and she's able to sustain that and continue her off the court work as well is really inspiring."
Ogwumike's impact on and off the court
Ogwumike was the No. 1 pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft and was named Rookie of the Year. In 2016, she was named WNBA regular-season MVP and led the Sparks to a championship. In 2026, Ogwumike set the Sparks’ all-time scoring record, was named to her 11th career WNBA All-Star Game — tying Diana Taurasi for second-most nods in league history — and dropped 11 points to surpass Maya Moore as the all-time leading All-Star scorer. In addition to her All-Star selections, Ogwumike has eight All-WNBA and seven All-Defensive team selections. She was also named one of the 25 greatest players in league history when the WNBA celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2021.
Her off-court impact cannot be overstated. As president of the WNBA Players Association since 2016, she oversaw two collective bargaining negotiations, including helping the WNBA and its players' union negotiate a groundbreaking CBA in 2026. Ogwumike was pivotal in helping players secure million-dollar contracts for the first time in league history, along with expanded benefits, player protections and resources. Collier, who has worked alongside Ogwumike as first vice president of the players' union, praised her colleague's dedication during CBA negotiations.
"I saw how big her impact there was, which is arguably more because she's changing the future of so many players as well. Just her leadership as president for so many years," Collier said. "We know that she not only cares but is so well-educated in these topics, too. She invests the time in all of this, and we're happy to follow her. She's someone that you could be proud to call your president.
"Carrying into CBA negotiations, she did the same thing. We felt so comfortable. Not even comfortable ― we felt empowered to have her as our leader in that. So, I'm just really honored to be able to have played against and (worked) with someone like that."
Leaving the game better than you found it
Collier is one of many players who have spoken glowingly about Ogwumike in the last several weeks. Former teammate, Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Gray, won her first championship ring with Ogwumike with the Sparks in 2016.
"I always say getting traded to L.A. was always one of the best things for my career," Gray said. "I don't think people understand what it means to have such a great veteran leadership, and one person that was vital to that was Nneka. (I was) learning what it meant to be not only to be a pro, but a pro that played at an All-Star level every year.
"Everything that she's been able to do on the court, but off the court as well ... just talking and lifting other people up. That's what you love about Nneka ― lifting other people up. People always say you wanna leave the game better than you found it, and she's the epitome of that."
Ogwumike has also poured into players, taking them under her wing. Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard and forward Angel Reese are examples. Howard said people know Ogwumike is a great player and will be in the Naismith Hall of Fame. Still, for her, the off-court connection matters most. The young star explained players call her "mother" because there Ogwumike check in and makes sure people are OK.
Reese said after the Dream's game against Ogwumike and the Sparks on Aug. 24, the veteran forward delivered some words of advice when the two embraced.
"After the game, when she was holding me, ... she was telling me about the playoffs and how deep you have to dig and the little things that (matter). She was like, 'You just gotta dig a little deeper, and you gotta continue to dig deep and dig deep, and all the small things matter, and that will get you over the top to win a championship,'" Reese said.
"So she hugged me, and it felt really good, because she knows what it takes, and she knows what I want for me and my career. And she's poured so much into all of us. I think she's pouring so much into everyone, honestly, in so many different ways, and I just love and appreciate her."
Angel Reese and Nneka Ogwumike shared a moment after Reese’s record-setting rebounding night against the Sparks. pic.twitter.com/tANSl8rqZF
— On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) August 25, 2026
On Thursday, Ogwumike will lace up her shoes and put on her jersey and play a WNBA game for the final time. She'll round out a quiet goodbye tour over the last few weeks. It's a well-deserved honor for a player whose fingerprints are all over the league, in its history books and now its DNA.
"I want to literally give you your flowers for all that you have meant to the W, to your teammates, to this entire league," Hall of Famer Cynthia Cooper said on Aug. 23 as she hugged Ogwumike and handed her a bouquet. "Everything that you've given us as fans of the game, you have been amazing, and you deserve your flowers."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nneka Ogwumike leaves WNBA transformed, forever marked by her influence
