Three questions with Chiney Ogwumike: Multitasking with the Connecticut Sun, ESPN and the Marvel Universe
Two years after her older sister, Nneka Ogwumike, was the first overall pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft, Chiney Ogwumike was picked first overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2014 WNBA Draft.
While her sister has been wracking up WNBA MVP Awards and championships with the Los Angeles Sparks, the younger Chiney's journey in the league hasn't been as smooth. When she has played, she's been a powerhouse forward, averaging 13.9 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, but she's missed two full seasons due to a knee microfracture in 2015 and an Achilles injury in 2017.
The 2018 season is shaping up to be a special one, though, on and off the court. Chiney is back in All-Star form, and the Sun are off to a league-best 5-1 start and look ready to challenge for a championship. Plus, during the offseason, she signed a full-time deal with ESPN to work as an analyst for the league's NBA, WNBA and women's college basketball studio coverage.
Chiney took time from her busy schedule to talk to Yarbarker about all the exciting things happening in her life and the Marvel characters that help her along the way.
The Connecticut Sun are off to a hot start to the season. What makes this team so dangerous?
I think we just have the deepest roster in the WNBA — from 1-12, everyone provides something special and unique. There's no one player on our team that is the same as the one before, and everyone has that killer mentality. It's hard for defenses to know who to hang on.
There's not one superstar, per se — whoever's hot that game, we go to that person. We play team basketball, and we support each other. It's something we fought for over the past few years, and now we actually care about winning, because we know what it what it feels like to lose.
It took you 18 months to get back on the court after your Achilles surgery in December 2016. What did you learn about yourself during that time?
I just learned to take a positive outlook on everything that you do. No mountain is too hard to climb, and as long as you surround yourself with really positive people, you know you can do anything. A lot of people were saying, "You're young, you can bounce back." So I just listened to that and trusted the process, for lack of better words.
I'm just fortunate. Not many people get one, two, three chances to do what they love. The fact that I'm out here and competing is a blessing. It's a bonus.
You now, a lot of times people focus on the physical rehab, but they don't really think about the mental rehab. How are you challenging your mind? I've had great opportunities obviously with ESPN that allowed me to stay up with the game — mentally, it worked hand in hand, because I'm talking basketball. I love basketball, learning about the game on and off the court, and now I still get to play. It's a treat.
With two full-time jobs, you're obviously incredibly busy. But I also know that as a self-professed nerd, you still find time to keep close tabs on the Marvel Universe. Who is your favorite Marvel character, and why?
Right now, I'm doing the Marvel movie challenge and watching all the TV shows so I can make sure I'm fully ready for "Infinity War." I'm definitely a glorified nerd, but TV has been my, like, turn-off-my-brain moment. So any TV show, whether it's "Scandal," "How to Get Away With Murder" — all these shows I always watch.
But I like Iron Man the most. Obviously, I am a resident of Wakanda in nature. (Laughs.) But if I had to pick one I like, it's Iron Man. He's smart, tech-savvy, funny, witty and sassy. On the court and off the court, you can be a little sassy, fun, feminine and fierce. I see that mentality in him.
You know, with my schedule, the biggest thing is just balance. That's the hardest challenge. But you know women are great multitaskers. All I'm doing is playing basketball, talking about basketball, so everything else falls into place.
This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.
Previously: Three questions with Kelsey Mitchell: How the No. 2 pick is adjusting to the WNBA
More must-reads: