Stanford legend Ogwumike to be inducted into Stanford Sports Hall of Fame

She had a legendary tenure on The Farm and also had made a name for herself both in the WNBA and at ESPN. And after getting the recognition she deserved from ESPN, she will get the same from her alma mater.

Apr 5, 2014; Nashville, TN, USA; Stanford Cardinal forward Chiney Ogwumike (13) drives to the basket during practice before the semifinals of the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Womens Division I Championship tournament at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Don McPeak-Imagn Images / Don McPeak-Imagn Images

What a week it has been for Chiney Ogwumike. This week, it was announced that she would remain at ESPN as a basketball analyst for the long term, signing a four-year extension with the network. And now, she will also receive recognition for her dominance as a player, getting inducted into the Stanford Sports Hall of Fame on Friday.

Playing at Stanford from 2010-2014 alongside her sister, Nneka, Ogwumike shined during her tenure with the Cardinal, leaving the school as the all-time leading scorer, men or women, in Pac-12 history, a record that was later broken by Washington’s Kelsey Plum. Ogwumike’s best season was her senior year in 2013-14 when her 26.1 points, 12.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists earned her numerous accolades including the Pac-12 Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden award.

While a member of the Cardinal, Ogwumike helped guide Stanford to appearances in the Final Four in 2011, 2012 and 2014 with a loss in the Sweet Sixteen in 2013. Despite losing in the final four all three times, Ogwumike’s dominance helped the Cardinal stay in the national spotlight during the entirety of her college career.

Other accolades won during her college career include being named to the first-team All-Pac-12 four times, the Pac-12 All-Defensive team four times as well as also being the Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2013, among other awards. Her strong college career made her a very highly touted WNBA prospect, eventually leading to her being selected No. 1 overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2014 draft. Spending her first three seasons in Connecticut, she then joined the Los Angeles Sparks, spending four seasons there before her contract expired after the 2023 season. 

A free agent during the entirety of the 2024 WNBA season, and therefore not playing a game, she was able to focus on her ESPN career full time. However, signing her first deal with ESPN in 2018, she has managed to pursue a full-time career in broadcasting while being an active WNBA player.

A member of the 2024 Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame Class that was announced in August, along with other former Stanford legends such as Carlos Quentin and Stepfan Taylor, Ogwumike will get inducted in an evening ceremony on Friday before being formally recognized along with the rest of her class at halftime of the Stanford football game vs. SMU.