Nneka Ogwumike put up 17 points, 15 rebounds and five assists in the LA Sparks' final regular-season matchup against the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday. But the tears at Crypto.com Arena weren't caused by the home team's 76-75 loss, they were centered on a different kind of ending.
Nneka Ogwumike's Retirement Takes Center Court in Final Valkyries vs Sparks Game
The 36-year-old forward, who announced her retirement plans earlier this season, played her last WNBA game, capping a 15-year career that redefined the Sparks franchise and the league around it.
"I left my heart out here on the floor," Ogwumike said during her retirement speech. "It's such a privilege and an honor to be in this league, to be a woman in sports, and especially to wear the Sparks jersey."
Over the course of her career, Ogwumike earned 11 All-Star selections, eight All-WNBA nods, and a championship with the Sparks in 2016. Away from the game, she served as the WNBPA president, using her platform to push for better pay and working conditions league-wide.
That advocacy carried into her parting words at center court. Before stepping away for good, Ogwumike turned her retirement ceremony into a rallying cry for women's basketball.
"We cannot ignore the needs of the majority for the noise of the minority," she said.
"So keep supporting the W. Every little thing that you do, it helps women's basketball grow. Don't think that you can't be a part of this because you all are the reason why we are able to stay here, play this game, play our worth, and continue to change history."
