Sparks' Nneka Ogwumike to Retire from WNBA After 2026 Season, Won Title and MVP in 2016

Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike is calling it a career this year.

During an interview for Boardroom with Taylor Rooks, Ogwumike announced that she will retire at the end of the 2026 season. The 15-year veteran spent 13 years with the Sparks and helped lead the team to a WNBA championship in 2016, the same year she was named WNBA MVP.

"I've learned there's power in knowing when to walk away. For so long, that strength meant finding a way to keep pushing. Now, it means recognizing when you feel complete," Ogwumike said (h/t ESPN's Alexa Philippou). "I find myself grateful, fulfilled, and at peace with everything this game has given me and everything I've poured into it."

WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson released a statement praising Ogwumike's career.

"Nneka Ogwumike's impact on this union, and on the women's game, cannot be overstated. Her leadership has been extraordinary. She has served this union with a level of commitment, courage, integrity, and purpose that is truly unparalleled," she wrote. "As President for the last decade, Nneka understood that leadership was not simply about having a seat at the table; it was about using that seat to move the game and the business of the game forward for every player — today and for generations to come.

"We are profoundly grateful for the countless ways Nneka has championed her teammates, strengthened this union, and helped shape its future. We celebrate her remarkable career and the next chapter ahead. Nneka's legacy will forever be woven into the fabric of this union and women's basketball."

The No. 1 pick in the 2012 WNBA draft out of Stanford, Ogwumike made an immediate impact when she entered the league, earning Rookie of the Year honors. She went on to become an 11-time All-Star, an eight-time All-WNBA selection and a seven-time All-Defensive selection. She was named to the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team in 2021.

In addition to suiting up for the Sparks, Ogwumike spent two seasons with the Seattle Storm in 2024 and 2025 before returning to Los Angeles for the 2026 campaign. She's started all 34 of her appearances for the 12-23 Sparks this season and is averaging 16.9 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.1 steals.

Ogwumike's impact off the court has also been commendable, as she earned the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award four times in her career, including in 2025.

Ogwumike will be remembered as one of the most consistent two-way players the WNBA has ever seen, and she will now get to enjoy the next chapter of her life when the 2026 season comes to an end.