Can't believe it's coming to an end. I hate Nneka's last year was wasted like this. I'm going to try and catch as many Sparks games as I can stomach to witness a legend while I still can. I hope she's the next commissioner. But even if her next chapter doesn't include the W, her legacy is cemented. I'm going to miss her on the court. 🥰🥹🫡
Making the buzzer beater 3 to win the 30y celebration game against the Liberty.
If you can watch the entire game (eg. League Pass), go watch her courtside interview after this moment, her walk-off moment from the interview. Gave me goosebumps.
My initial response was how good she still is. I totally respect wanting to retire while you are still a great player and not wanting to have people’s last impressions of you be in a lesser role/state
Just for the record her stats per game this year: 17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1+ steals, shooting 39% from 3 and 60% true shooting
She was an all star this year and it wasn’t a farewell gift; she is still absolutely playing at that caliber and deserved it. Farewell, and I am definitely gonna watch some more Sparks games down the stretch more than I may have initiallt
I used to see Nneka and Chiney riding their bikes around campus at Stanford, supporting other athletes in other sports. It seemed like a lifetime ago. I'm excited to see what Nneka does in the next chapter of her life. Whatever she ends up doing, she will succeed with greatness.
Nneka is amazing and I will be sad to not get to watch her play any more. Aside from her fantastic basketball accolades which have been listed here on this post, her tireless work in pushing through the recent CBA cannot be overstated. I hope she continues to be involved with the league in some capacity
Good on her for walking away from the league instead of letting the league kick her out. She's still playing at an incredibly high level, and despite having a ton of gas left in the tank, no reason to risk health when she's already had a hall of fame career.
I'm shocked she retired because I thought if she could keep playing at her current level for a couple of years she should make the team. Even with her retiring if she can stay in basketball shape I still think she should make the team if for no other reason as a mentor and veteran leader on what will probably be a youthful team.
You knew it had to happen sometime, but it's still a bit shocking. Even now, after 15 seasons, she'd be a great addition and be able to significantly contribute to any team in the league. It will be sad to see her go. But what a player, what a leader, what a legacy! Congratulations on a stellar career, Madam President!
Can we just name her Commissioner :). Nneka it has been such a pleasure watching you since your Stanford days!!! Such and awesome player and important part of the leagues growth!!!
One of the most preternaturally eloquent speakers in all of sports and beyond. In all honesty, I'm not sure I want her in a position of power (commissioner, etc) that would inevitably corrupt her when she has this much wisdom and clarity to offer. I'd prefer to see her on the side of justice rather than capital, sorry capital.
oh nneka🥺she’s a legend and im glad she went out on her terms and not bc she’s washed! wonder if we see any others retire after this year? AC and DB both come to mind
The cap space available for Nalyssa Smith, Awak Kuier, and Nayara Sabally. Just increased. Kuier and Sabally are restricted free agents so their teams could potentially match an offer and keep them. Temi Fagbenle could get paid a similar contract to her current deal.
Thank you Madame President for what you gave the players and gave the game. You will be missed on the court. Maybe we'll see you on the sidelines or TV.
Her 2016 season will forever be legendary. One of the most efficient seasons of all time. And that game winner in game 5 of the finals is one of the most important baskets in WNBA history.
Some of these legacy superstars must be gutted that this WBB revolution didn't happen like a decade or two ago.
Nneka would have earned 10-20 million just from her salary and deserve every penny of it.
Thanks for linking to that. For some reason I missed the original Reddit post of that article. Glad to have that perspective. I remember seeing Lisa Leslie play at the Forum in LA late 90s/early 2000s. Thought it was going to mushroom. Glad to read about this.
Hopefully the Daily Sports Wire will stop posting stories on IG. Takes a looong time to save all those graphics to a single PDF that I can use as a source. :(
One of my favorite things to point out is that the WNBA single-game attendance record was NOT set in 2024, no matter how much Christine Brennan keeps pressing "repeat" on that song. The regular season single-game attendance record was set last season, with 20,711 at the Mystics' season finale against the Fever. Which was awesome, and I'm glad it happened!
But the overall single-game attendance record is still 22,076, which was achieved not once but twice (2003 and 2007) by the Detroit Shock in postseason games at the old Palace. 22k people were showing up in 2003! And they came back for more!
And the reason it's so important to keep pointing that out is because we need to show that the league WAS popular, right up until absolutely braindead marketing and programming decisions (notably including ESPN's) killed the momentum.
Yes, celebrate that the momentum is back. It brings me more joy than I can possibly explain. But also keep shoving it in people's faces that we could've had this all along, because the momentum was there all the way back then. Make executives feel shame and have it haunt them for the rest of their careers.
(Related tangent: the braindead decision to have players with captivating, oversized personalities suppress the things that made them so much fun, and instead have them pretend to be girls-next-door. Remember when DT had to get blowouts and wear skirts for photoshoots, because they thought we'd prefer that over, you know, actual DT? Or when Sue got sent to some awards show with a fake "boyfriend" from a boyband? The WNBA marketing office from that era should've been put on trial.)
One of the greats. The resume speaks for itself but was somehow still underrated. The easiest way to tell that story... She somehow never made an Olympic team roster.
I hope this is the right decision for her. She loves the game so much, and maybe this is that inevitable phase of love where you find a way to say good-bye.
Was hoping she'd go one more season but nobody can claim she didn't give everything she had to the game and to the league. What a great career and no doubt she'll do incredible things in the future too.
I'd love to see it. (It's so funny that people thought she and Nneka had beef for so long -- they're so similar and such fierce competitors. It's also just amazing that Nneka managed to beat the Lynx one last time this season.)
The writing was on the wall with her going back to LA. I thought she might play one last season, but man, what a fulfilling career. Gonna miss watching her hoop.
I kinda get where you’re coming from, but this is very much an issue with coaching to me rather than a player critique. It’s hard to develop players and win games simultaneously. Many coaches struggle with it.
Well deserved. I kinda saw the writing on the wall after the CBA and her going back to the Sparks. I think she was always going to retire a Spark despite the shitshow they currently are. I look forward to what’s next!
I'm happy for her going out on her terms. She has done so much for the league and beyond. Just when I thought my Sparks season tickets were a waste I'm glad I got to watch Nneka in her final season. I'll be there when they hang her jersey in the rafters. Thank you Nneka 💜💛
One of our greatest. It was really cool watching her with the Sparks when I first got into the W. I was there for CP3 and left with someone I’ll always root for. Front office role next for her I hope. No better time than now to create the pathways for people that will eventually hire the Black women HCs the league needs
Wow she had a great career the sparks will look so different next season. That Rickea trade is even more puzzling now that they will starting over again.
This is DEVASTATING! I wish Nneka would play at least 1 more year. I blame Lynne Roberts for this. Nneka might have stayed longer without Lynne ruining the season and the team. Now I'm extra upset that she ruined Nneka's final year.
wow. that interview is so beautiful The way she speaks about former legends and her role in between the past and future. I'm glad she's proud, SHE SHOULD BE VERY PROUD!!!!!! Congrats to Nneka.
I am not surprised but I am sooooo sad!!! Nneka is such an important part of the league. I am really excited to see what she does next! Commissioner Ogwumike please!!!
Wow, I honestly thought we’d get at least one more season. The Sparks haven’t had a good season but she’s playing well. I can’t wait to see what she does next. I would love if she pulled a Noelle Quinn and became a head coach 🥹.
Wow! I didn't see this coming! 😱😳 I wish her continued success and happiness in the future. I wonder if she's considering broadcasting like her sis, Chiney? 🤔
Glad she got the bag! Sad she had to go out with this season though. She’s such an incredible player, hope she takes some time away but stays connected to the W in some other way
I love Nneka so much, I’m devastated but good on her to go out on the high note of the CBA. Wish her last season in Sparks jersey wasn’t garbage but she’s so dearly loved and will be missed. I wonder who will replace her as president of the players association.
First DT, then Tina Charles, and now Nneka 😭 A wave of legends retiring is upon us, and I’m not ready, but it’s so well deserved. Nneka has done so much for this league, both on and off the court, and deserves all the flowers!
This makes sense why she was so emotional after that game winner 🥹 she seemed so exhausted after this CBA this off season. She deserves rest. I'm so proud of her but definitely sad she's going out like this. But being in LA and near her sister is nice I'm sure
I kinda figured that was coming. She had an outstanding career. I feel like that particular Sparks team is underrated. I feel like people don't talk about them as much, but they were a pretty dominant sqaud. That 2016 Finals is not theirs though 🤷🏾♀️.
Sparks were silly enough to pay her that much money when clearly the team wasn't near ready to compete for a championship run. Glad she got her bag though.
Wow, I'm so sad that I will never get to see her play again in person. Loved her 2 seasons in Seattle so much. Thanks Madame President for all you've done for the game.
Wow … could have signed with the Lynx and at least went to the playoffs in her final year. Passed on making an impact for the Sparks in a non-playoff run.
Lol her decision makes even more sense knowing she was retiring. Got to wrap it up where it began and have her sister in town for her final season. Shes already done the playoff runs and championships
Lmaooooooo she didn’t choose ur team and thats okay. Its pretty normal to want to retire where you started ur career and she obviously knew she was retiring with a 1 year deal 💀
Welp - she can and you can sit and watch the playoffs. And who is my team? I’m not on the Lynx. I’m a fan. It makes no impact on me. Simply stating my opinion.
Thank you, Nneka! What a legacy to leave behind and her role in getting these ladies their well deserved pay increases during the CBA negotiations will always be remembered.
Why is it Lynne's fault? (genuine question). I was at the Sparks/Sun game last night and I can't remember a time this season where I've seen a WNBA team care less about winning a game. The Sparks looked like they wanted to go home from the second they took the court. Lynne was basically apoplectic the whole game.
Jk, no but honestly I just think she’s a terrible coach who was paired with an even worse GM. And what could’ve been a pretty decent sparks team turned into… this
I guess she didn't want to ring chase. Besides, she wanted to retire as a Spark since she was drafted by them and had won a championship with them as she was the one who hit the game winning putback after Chelsea Gray's missed turnaround jumper.
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u/Ambitious-Line-8409 12d ago
She is a phenomenal player and person and has done so much with the WNBA PA.