NEW YORK (AP) — All-Stars Brittney Griner, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins and Satou Sabally all found new places to play this season, taking advantage of free agency. Angel Reese has a new home after she was traded to Atlanta.
This might have been the most movement by All-Stars during an offseason in WNBA history. Not that it comes as a huge surprise. More than 80% of the players in the league were free agents after last season, knowing a huge pay
day awaited with the new collective bargaining agreement that was signed in March.
With the money about the same, moving closer to home was one factor in players' decisions.
The 2016 MVP has long considered Los Angeles home after getting drafted No. 1 by the Sparks in 2012. She helped the franchise win a championship in 2016. The 10-time All-Star left the Sparks for Seattle in 2024 and spent two seasons with the Storm before returning to L.A.
The Sparks are trying to get back to the top of the league.
“It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon…” Ogwumike wrote on social media when announcing her decision to return to Los Angeles.
Ogwumike joins a strong core in Los Angeles, including Kelsey Plum, Ariel Atkins, Dearica Hamby and Cameron Brink.
Diggins grew up in South Bend, Indiana — a 90-minute drive from Chicago. The six-time All-WNBA player and seven-time All-Star is still looking for her first championship in the league and may be hard-pressed to get it in the Windy City. The 35-year-old guard spent the last two seasons in Seattle.
She'll provide veteran leadership for the Sky and eventually pair in the backcourt with Courtney Vandersloot, who is recovering from an ACL injury.
The No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft will be playing for her third team in three seasons. Griner spent the first 12 years of her career in Phoenix, which selected her with the top pick. She moved on to Atlanta last season and now is in Connecticut. The Sun will be moving to Griner's hometown of Houston next season.
Griner, a 10-time All-Star, was excited for the chance to be a veteran leader for the Sun before eventually getting to play back home in Houston next year.
“Coming here for the one year with hopes of next year being in Houston and having that opportunity to potentially play in front of my family, play at home, it means a lot to me, means a whole lot to me,” Griner told The Associated Press.
Sabally was born in New York, so joining the Liberty was a homecoming for her. Her family moved to Germany when she was young. Being on the East Coast makes it easier for the German star to get to Europe than it was while playing in Phoenix. It also puts her in a time zone that is more friendly for talking to her family in Germany.
“Phoenix was very far away from home for me as an international player. Like, nine-hour time difference. I could only talk to my little brothers before practice,” Sabally said. “So I think it was a personal decision just to get closer to my own home.”
The three-time All-Star played with Sabrina Ionescu in college at Oregon. Their senior season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, but now the duo will try to win a WNBA championship together with the Liberty.
Atlanta acquired Reese from the Sky on April 6 for draft picks. One of the WNBA’s most recognizable stars, Reese led the league in rebounds in each of her two seasons with the Sky. The Dream hope she's the missing piece that can get them back to the WNBA Finals for the first time since 2013.
“I am not satisfied with what I am as a player and I felt like being around these kinds of players would help me be better," said Reese, who added she is happy to be with an organization “that really cared” about its players.
“I can help them in different ways to ... win, and that’s all I ever wanted,” Reese said. “I don’t care about anything else. ... I want to win.”
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AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
