Ogwumike's strong campaign has Seattle Storm firmly in the playoff picture

Dylan Grausz | Aug 20, 2024

Jul 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) interacts with Leslie Jones after the game against the LA Sparks at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Nobody knew what to expect out of the Seattle Storm in 2024. Despite making it all the way to the WNBA Western Conference Semifinals in 2022, they plummeted back down to Earth last year, finishing 11-29 and missing the playoffs for the first time in seven years. But things have been vastly different this season, with the team returning to prominence in large part thanks to the offseason signing of former Stanford star Nneka Ogwumike.

Ogwumike, who spent the first 12 seasons of her career playing for the Los Angeles Sparks after being drafted by them first overall in the 2012 WNBA draft, signed a one-year deal with the Storm in the offseason to help bolster a team that was coming off of its first campaign in years without star players Breanna Stewart (left for the New York Liberty) and Sue Bird (retired). Averaging 17.2 points per game, 7.7 rebounds per game and 2.6 assists per game, Ogwumike has enjoyed another dominant season as a starter for the Storm and has been a major reason why the team is currently 17-10 and sitting in third place in the Western Conference.

With the Sparks, Ogwumike became one of the best players in the league, winning Rookie of the Year and making the WNBA All-Rookie team in 2012, making eight All-Star teams, winning the league MVP and a championship in 2016 and earning a spot on the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team in 2021. Her last two seasons in LA in both 2022 and 2023 saw her experience somewhat of a resurgence, averaging 18.1 points per game and 19.1 points per game, respectively, making them her best two seasons since 2017 when she averaged 18.8 per game.

Announcing in January that she planned to leave the Sparks and test free agency, the 34-year-old has so far lived up to her prove it deal, earning All-Star honors again and along with fellow free-agent addition Skylar Diggins-Smith, has been able to provide major starpower to pair with Jewell Loyd. One of Ogwumike’s best games of the season came against her former team, where she put up 26 points and grabbed eight rebounds in LA during a WNBA Commissioner’s Cup game, helping the Storm win 95-79.

At Stanford, Ogwumike established herself into the best player in women’s college basketball at the time, leaving the program as the second all-time leading scorer and earning Pac-12 Player of the Year honors in 2010 and 2012, as well as earning a spot on the AP First-team All-American squad in that same 2012 season. Leaving Stanford averaging 17.2 points per game, 8.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists for her career, Ogwumike was a vital part in the program making four runs to the Final Four from 2009 to 2012, including finishing as the runner ups in the NCAA tournament for the 2009-10 season.

Ogwumike may be in the back half of her career, but her ability to still play at a high level and be a major force whenever she steps foot on the court makes her age and experience just another number and the value that she brings to any team as high as ever.