LOS ANGELES — The Sparks have re-signed two-time WNBA All-Star forward Chiney Ogwumike, the team announced Wednesday.
Ogwumike, who was an unrestricted free agent, is entering her seventh season in the WNBA and fourth season with the Sparks, and has been reunited with her former Connecticut Sun head coach Curt Miller.
“I am so happy to re-sign with the Sparks,” Ogwumike said in a statement. “The past two seasons here have been the hardest of my basketball career, but I am motivated and inspired for this season to mark a new chapter for the Sparks and me. Reuniting with Curt, the coach that helped me be an All-Star in 2018, who knows my fight and journey on the court, means the world to me. In a short amount of time, (general manager Karen Bryant) and Eric have truly become family, and I appreciate all that they are doing for the Sparks organization to be great. I don’t take for granted the opportunity to wear the purple and gold and will leave it all on the court this season.”
The Sparks traded for Ogwumike back in 2019 from Connecticut in exchange for the team’s 2020 first-round draft pick. The acquisition allowed Ogwumike to play with her older sister 2016 WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike and work for ESPN in Los Angeles. Nneka Ogwumike is also an unrestricted free agent who has yet to re-sign but is expected to, according to team officials.
Meanwhile, Ogwumike recently signed a contract extension with ESPN, and currently serves as a co-host on NBA Today with Malika Andrews, which airs daily, and she’s also a full-time analyst on NBA Countdown’s Wednesday show alongside Andrews, Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins.
On the court, Bryant said she’s grateful for Ogwumike’s leadership.
“Chiney is a key returning veteran for the Sparks,” Bryant said. “We are grateful to have her continued leadership and frontcourt presence on our team.”
Over her career, she has averaged 11.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game in 160 total games…
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