Nneka Ogwumike to Retire Following the 2026 WNBA Season

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nneka Ogwumike to Retire Following the 2026 WNBA Season

Originally posted on Beyond Women's Sports
By LaDarius Brown | Last updated Aug 20, 2026 12:44 AM ET

Without question, the WNBA took great strides as the league saw never before seen growth thanks to the new CBA. One of the key individuals behind it was Nneka Ogwumike, also known as Madame President.

The eight-time All-WNBA player announced she will retire at the of the season. Since 2016, Ogwumike has been the President of the WNBA’s Player Association. She will remain in the role until the conclusion of this year.

While having an impact on the league off the court, she equally had one on it throughout her future Hall of Fame career. Ogwumike went No. 1 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2012 WNBA Draft out of Stanford. She won the Rookie of the Year award while making the All-Rookie team for the Sparks.

The 2016 season saw her win league MVP as the forward averaged 19. 7 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. What’s more, she helped lead Los Angeles to their third WNBA Championship in franchise that season. Additionally, Ogwumike led the Sparks in rebounds per game (9.3) and field goal percentage (.625) during the team’s postseason run that season.

However, the seven-time All-Defensive star left the City of Angels after the 2023 season for the Seattle Storm in free agency. She played a role in Seattle making the playoffs in her two seasons with the team. Ultimately, Ogwumike decided to return to the Sparks this season after her time in the Emerald City. In essence, it became full circle.

Ogwumike and her WNBA career

Overall, she sits fourth in WNBA history in points, third in total rebounds, and in the top five in steals over the course of her 15 seasons. Looking at her time with the Sparks, the 11-time All-Star ranks first in team history in points, field goal percentage, steals, and field goals.

All things considered, her No. 30 jersey will likely be retired and hang in the rafters of the Crypto.com Arena. She will join Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, Penny Toler, and DeLisha Milton-Jones are currently the only players with jerseys retired by Los Angeles.

As of now, Madame President has less than 10 games remaining in her career. Whether or not you are a Sparks fan, enjoy these games as a WNBA fan and watch greatness.

This article first appeared on Beyond Women's Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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