LOS ANGELES — In the Sparks’ 30-year history, few players are as synonymous with the organization as Nneka Ogwumike.
It’s why her leaving in 2023 for Seattle after spending the first 12 seasons with Los Angeles was such a bitter pill to swallow. It’s also what made her return this season that much sweeter.
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Ogwumike coming back is an indicator that a top free agent valued what’s being built in LA, even if they are far from a finished product.
“You can see the intention and engagement that’s coming through in how the organization’s being run and also how they’re trying to build the team,” Nneka Ogwumike told Silver Screen & Roll.
The results early on have been mixed. The Sparks are 4-5. The highs feature a road win against the Aces. The lows have included a loss to the Sun and defeats in two of their last three games, all coming with Kelsey Plum sidelined. But flirting with being a .500 team is far from the goal.
Their most recent contest, a 79-69 loss to the Aces, is a prime example of the progress made and the work that remains.
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LA got a great offensive performance from Rae Burrell, who scored 22 points on 8-14 shooting, and Nneka held her own defensively, guarding A’ja Wilson one-on-one for the majority of the game.
Still, the Aces won with ease, and while the Sparks never wilted away, they also didn’t threaten much either. Considering that Las Vegas is in the midst of a dynasty and the defending champions, this was a measuring stick game for the Sparks. Based on these results, they have work to do.
“If you’re playing against the defending champions, that’s really the ultimate challenge,” Ogwumike said.
Ogwumike tried to get the Sparks off on the right foot in this contest. She drove into the paint and scored the first points for LA. On her first rebound of the night, the 15-year veteran also etched her name deeper into the history books, jumping up to fifth all-time in rebounds.
However, Ogwumike, like most of her teammates, was limited scoring-wise the rest of the game, ending the night with just 12 points.
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Ogwumike’s production has typically been something you can write down in ink for most of her career. This season, though, she’s down in most areas. She’s averaging just 15.7 points per game, her lowest point total since 2021. And her 6.7 rebounds per game is the lowest since 2022.
Still, it’s early into the 2026 campaign and head coach Lynne Roberts isn’t concerned about a future Hall-of-Famer’s stats through nine games.
“Her impact has remained high,” Roberts said. “I think she’s doing a tremendous job coming in. As I’ve mentioned many times, we’ve got a good balance of vets and rookies and she’s a great, steadying force in all those ways.
“Basketball-wise, like in terms of the feel, it’s hard not to have her on the floor. Defensively, offensively, I’m not [worried]. I know she’s not worried about it either in terms of what her stats are. Her points come within the flow of the system and I think she’s doing a hell of a job.”
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There’s plenty of time left for Ogwumike’s leadership, elite scoring and phenomenal defensive abilities to result in victories. In a win-now year, those results will eventually have to come.
The Sparks’ rebuild ended when Ogwumike returned. She was one of the reasons Kelsey Plum took less than the supermax in free agency. The expectation in LA is to compete.
The good news is that Ogwumike has been a top player for most of her career, including last season when she was an All-Star and made Second Team All-WNBA. The safe bet is that she’ll only get more comfortable with this team, and her production and wins will increase as the year goes on.
“I’m critical of myself,” Ogwumike said. “I think I can be better. It’s great in the W. Every game is an opportunity. You have one game, then there’s another one that’s coming.”
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You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
