And I'm honored and happy to be a part of her journey through this league and her legacy, it's an honor to coach her.
She's one of one.”
Drafted first overall out of Stanford in 2012, Ogwumike learned veteran habits early alongside teammates Candace Parker, Kristi Toliver, and Alana Beard.
She won Rookie of the Year in 2012 and led LA to a WNBA championship as regular season MVP in 2016.
“They just really showed me what it means to be a pro,” Ogwumike said of her former teammates.
“And to have longevity, you have to take your recovery seriously, and they loved what they did. They loved the preparation of it all.”
Adopting their routines helped her build a resume featuring eight All-WNBA and seven All-Defensive team honors.
“I guess it just kind of stuck with me,” she said.
Despite the Sparks struggling to a 10-16 record at the All-Star break amidst injuries, Ogwumike leads the roster averaging 17.1 points per game.
Beyond on-court production, she serves as president of the WNBPA, helping navigate major player contract expansions as the league scales up.
“We have more games, we have more teams, we have more fans,” Ogwumike said.
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“We have a lot of these players who are coming in with such a strong fanbase and bridging that gap between the collegiate level and the pro level.
And then, there’s a lot more investment.”
