Nneka Ogwumike to retire from WNBA at end of 2026 season
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike announced she will retire from the WNBA at the end of the 2026 season. The 11-time All-Star and WNBPA president revealed the decision in an exclusive Boardroom Talks interview, closing a 15-year career that includes a 2016 championship and MVP award.
One of the greatest players in WNBA history is walking away on her own timeline. Ogwumike, 36, told Taylor Rooks she feels "grateful, fulfilled, and at peace" after setting franchise records and climbing the league's all-time lists in her final campaign.
Key Takeaways
- Ogwumike will retire after the 2026 WNBA season, her 15th in the league and second stint with the Sparks.
- She announced the news in an exclusive Boardroom Talks interview with Taylor Rooks on August 19, 2026.
- The forward is an 11-time All-Star, 2016 MVP, WNBA champion, and current president of the WNBPA.
- She ranks fourth in career points and third in rebounds in WNBA history.
- If the Sparks miss the playoffs, her final game is scheduled for September 24 at home against the Golden State Valkyries.
Why is Nneka Ogwumike retiring now?
Ogwumike said she has learned "there's power in knowing when to walk away." For years, she said, strength meant pushing through. Now it means recognizing when she feels complete.
"I find myself grateful, fulfilled, and at peace with everything this game has given me and everything I've poured into it," she told Rooks, according to USA Today.
What did Ogwumike accomplish in her WNBA career?
Selected first overall in the 2012 WNBA Draft out of Stanford, Ogwumike spent her first 10 seasons with the Sparks. She led Los Angeles to a title in 2016 and won league MVP that same year.
After two seasons with the Seattle Storm starting in 2024, she returned to the Sparks this past spring. In 2026 she set the franchise's all-time scoring record, earned her 11th All-Star nod—tying Diana Taurasi for second-most in league history—and passed Maya Moore as the WNBA's all-time leading All-Star scorer.
Her 7,879 career points rank fourth all-time. She is third in rebounds (3,565) and seventh in double-doubles (129). She also won gold with Team USA at multiple FIBA World Cups.
When will Ogwumike play her final WNBA game?
Ogwumike has appeared in 34 games this season, averaging 16.9 points on .509 shooting, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists over 31.3 minutes per night. The Sparks sit at 12-23 and are on course to miss the playoffs.
If that holds, her last game will come on September 24 at home against the Golden State Valkyries, per TSN.
Where can fans watch her retirement announcement?
Ogwumike broke the news in an exclusive sit-down with Taylor Rooks on Boardroom Talks rather than through a team press release. For more on where major sports stories break first on streaming and broadcast, see our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.