Nneka Ogwumike, an 11-time WNBA All-Star and 2016 MVP, has announced she is retiring following the 2026 season.
The 36-year-old Los Angeles Sparks forward told Taylor Rooks that she’s come to understand the “power in knowing when to walk away” during the latest episode of “Boardroom Talks.”
“For so long, that strength meant finding a way to keep pushing,” Ogwumike said. “Now, it means recognizing when you feel complete. I find myself grateful, fulfilled, and at peace with everything this game has given me and everything I’ve poured into it.”
The 2012 No. 1 overall draft pick out of Stanford, Ogwumike spent the first 12 years of her career with the Sparks before signing with the Seattle Storm ahead of the 2024 season. She re-joined LA on a free agent deal in April.
An eight-time All-WNBA and seven-time All-Defensive team selection, Ogwumike also led the Sparks to the 2016 WNBA title. That season she recorded a career high 19.7 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game during the regular season. In the playoffs, she averaged 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds over nine games.
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Ogwumike was also named to the WNBA’s 25th anniversary team in 2021.
Internationally, Ogwumike represented the United States on several levels, helping the Americans win gold at two FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cups.
Off the court, Ogwumike has played an instrumental role in shaping the WNBA into what it is today. Since 2016, she has served as president of the WNBPA guiding the union through two CBA negotiations.
“Nneka Ogwumike’s impact on this union, and on the women’s game, cannot be overstated. Her leadership has been extraordinary,” WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said in a statement. “She has served this union with a level of commitment, courage, integrity, and purpose that is truly unparalleled. As President for the last decade, Nneka understood that leadership was not simply about having a seat at the table; it was about using that seat to move the game and the business of the game forward for every player — today and for generations to come.
“We are profoundly grateful for the countless ways Nneka has championed her teammates, strengthened this union, and helped shape its future. We celebrate her remarkable career and the next chapter ahead. Nneka’s legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of this union and women’s basketball.”
Ogwumike told Rooks that part of the reason why she will retire after this season is due to her body telling her it’s time and that she wants to leave as “a whole person” and go out on her own terms.
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“I feel very fulfilled with the 15 years that I’ve been able to play and compete at such a high level, and I am proud to say that I’m retiring from the WNBA,” she said.
