Nneka Ogwumike has signed with the Seattle Storm, her sister Chiney announced Monday on NBA Today.
According to ESPN, the deal is for one year.
Ogwumike announced in January that she would leave the Los Angeles Sparks after 12 seasons. In free agency, she met with the Storm, Phoenix Mercury, Chicago Sky, Atlanta Dream and New York Liberty.
While she had appeared in New York over the weekend and strongly considered the Liberty, Ogwumike ultimately decided on the Storm “because they presented her with a clear role,” according to ESPN.
“I had the pleasure of having options and the opportunity to see different teams,” Ogwumike told ESPN’s “NBA Today.” “… Ultimately I felt like I just fit best in an organization that has so much history. We’re living in a house that was built by legends and continues to be built and coached by legends. It just really resonated with me to be able to build on that legacy with some other key pieces.”
Now, the former No. 1 overall pick will join forces with Skylar Diggins-Smith and Jewell Loyd.
“I really want to step into this with everyone’s expectations to be great,” Ogwumike said. “You can’t be great without other great players. We all know how much weight we can hold.”
“The chance to coach Nneka, a veteran in our league with championship experience, is such an incredible opportunity for our team,” Seattle coach Noelle Quinn said. “Nneka is an efficient scorer, a strong rebounder, an elite defender and is one of the most versatile players in the W. We know she will immediately elevate our play this season.”