Nneka Ogwumike Takes Her Final Bow in Los Angeles

Thursday night at Crypto.com Arena, one of the most accomplished careers in WNBA history comes to a close. Nneka Ogwumike plays her final game when the Los Angeles Sparks host the Golden State Valkyries, the last stop of a 15 season run that shaped the league on the court and at the bargaining table.

Ogwumike announced in August that 2026 would be her last season. With the Sparks out of playoff contention, Thursday's home finale became her farewell.

"I've learned there's power in knowing when to walk away."

She shared those words in her retirement announcement, describing a sense of completion and peace with everything she gave the game and everything it gave her.

The resume speaks for itself. The Sparks drafted Ogwumike first overall in 2012, and she won Rookie of the Year that season. In 2016 she was named league MVP and led Los Angeles to a championship, sealing the title with a game winning shot off an offensive rebound with 3.1 seconds left. She leaves as an 11 time All Star, tied for the second most in league history, and an eight time All WNBA selection, with career averages of 16.7 points and 7.6 rebounds per game.

Her influence off the floor may be even bigger. Ogwumike has served as president of the WNBA players union for a decade, and she was a key voice in negotiations for the new collective bargaining agreement, which players and the league reached in March and finalized in May. WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the story of the league's recent growth cannot be told without her, and that she will leave the game better than she found it.

Ogwumike spent nearly her entire career in Los Angeles, with a two season stop in Seattle in 2024 and 2025. When she returned there for the last time earlier this month, the Storm went all out, with players arriving in her No. 3 Seattle jersey. She answered with 23 points and 12 rebounds in a Sparks win.

The Sparks are treating the final home game as a full celebration. The night doubles as Fan Appreciation Night and marks the 10 year anniversary of the 2016 championship team, with players from that squad set to be honored. The franchise also scheduled its Sept. 20 home game for the unveiling of a Lisa Leslie statue, the first player honored that way in Sparks history, giving Los Angeles a week that salutes two generations of greatness.

At 36, Ogwumike is still playing at a high level, which is exactly why this exit feels so deliberate. She has said she does not see this transition as an ending, and that she is excited about the doors opening next. Wherever she goes, the league she helped build will be watching. Thank you, Nneka.