15-year WNBA veteran plans to retire after season

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15-year WNBA veteran plans to retire after season

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh | Last updated Aug 19, 2026 1:42 PM ET

Nneka Ogwumike is finishing up her 15th season in the WNBA, and it turns out that this one will be her last.

During an episode of “Boardroom Talk” with Taylor Rooks, Ogwumike revealed that this will be her final season in the league.

“I feel very fulfilled with the 15 years that I’ve been able to play and compete at such a high level, and I’m prud to say that I’m retiring from the WNBA,” Ogwumike said. “Even though I didn’t know what kind of player that I could be in this league, I never thought that I would play this long. Never thought that would be the type of player that I’d play this long.”

EXCLUSIVE: @nnekaogwumike is calling it a career after this season. pic.twitter.com/wrvFCQpGcK
— Boardroom (@boardroom) August 19, 2026

Ogwumike’s career accolades are very impressive. Here are her accomplishments so far:

2016 WNBA champion
2016 WNBA MVP
2012 Rookie of the Year
WNBA All-Rookie Team
11-time WNBA All-Star
8-time All-WNBA
7-time WNBA All-Defensive Team
WNBA 25th Anniversary Team

Ogwumike has also been the WNBPA president since 2016. Colin Salao of Front Office Sports added that she will continue to serve in that role until the next election. She will also be joining Project B’s inaugural season in January.

Her sister, Chiney, also had a message following the retirement announcement.

15 seasons! ✨ With you every step of the way… and it still feels like we’re just getting started! ❤️ Congrats to the best big sister in the world, @nnekaogwumike! pic.twitter.com/kRtbu2pCuU
— Chiney Ogwumike (@chiney) August 19, 2026

Ogwumike was the first overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2012 WNBA Draft, and she has spent all but two seasons with LA, with those years coming with the Seattle Storm in 2024 and 2025. She made her fifth straight WNBA All-Star team this season, and she is currently averaging 16.9 points with 8.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists this season.

The Sparks have a 12-23 record and are not in the playoff hunt, but it has been a spectaculr career for Nneka Ogwumike.

The Sparks’ final regular season game is scheduled for September 24 at home against the Golden State Valkyrie.

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