Nneka Ogwumike’s firm admission amid retirement plans

Los Angeles Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike shook up the WNBA world this week when she announced that this season would be her last before heading off into retirement. It was a plan that had been set into motion back during training camp amid signing a one-year contract to return to the Sparks.

During a pregame press conference ahead of the Sparks’ game against the Atlanta Dream on Thursday, Nneka Ogwumike spoke about the sense of closure it brought her, as well as what to expect from her for the remainder of the season.

“I feel really good, I feel free about it. I feel that I’m doing it on my own terms and I think what is important is I feel healthy and mentally sound. I didn’t want to be dragged off the court, but I definitely wanted to leave what I have left on the court,” Ogwumike said. “And I realized early on that this season is what I have left. We got nine more games … you’re not going to see a different me. I’m going to keep doing what I know how to do and I’m looking forward to doing that.”

Ogwumike began her career with the Sparks when they made her the No. 1 pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft. She played her first 12 seasons with the franchise, helping them to the 2016 WNBA championship amid her MVP year. She took a brief, two-year hiatus, playing for the Seattle Storm the past two seasons.

But it’s fitting that the future Hall of Famer ends her career where it began. During a season that hasn’t gone as well as the Sparks expected, Ogwumike has been a model of consistency and a pillar of faith. She’s the voice in the locker room that everybody listens to.

For head coach Lynne Roberts, she’s been able to pick up quite a bit from the 15-year veteran during their short time together.

“Some of the moments that are best is when she is incredibly intentional with her words, and never out of control, never emotional in that sense, but she can speak with emotion. She’s had some postgame thoughts that have been really powerful,” Roberts said during her pregame press conference. “There’s been many times where she has spoken and shared some wisdom or some insight that has been really powerful.”

The 11-time All-Star has appeared in 34 of the Sparks’ 35 games this season at a little over 31 minutes per game. She’s been averaging 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals with splits of 50.9 percent shooting from the field, 38.7 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 84.8 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

But as great as Ogwumike has been on the court, perhaps her most lasting impact is going to be the role she played in helping negotiate a historic CBA. And after the emotional toll that took, as satisfying as it was, that was when she began considering that this could really be it.

“I thought I was going to play maybe two or three more years. I think I started reconsidering maybe the three years after the CBA. I will say that in my experience in life, I think that’s probably been the most gratifying moment for me, but it definitely took a lot out of me to be able to sustain. And I’m not somebody who wants to push my mind past the limit,” Ogwumike said. “Once training camp hit, I think I realized like, I think I what I have left is one more season and I was okay with that. And I wanted to do whatever I could to play my best to ensure that the last season I could help my teammates.”

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