On June 2, before the Los Angeles Sparks took on the Las Vegas Aces, I conducted an exclusive interview with Nneka Ogwumike and asked her how many more seasons she thought she had left.
Her response was short.
"I don't know," Ogwumike said.
Well, two months later, she knows.
On Tuesday morning, in an interview with Boardroom's Taylor Rooks, Ogwumike shocked the basketball world by announcing that her WNBA career would be over at the end of this season.

#ogwumike #vegas #aces

With former MVP Nneka Ogwumike announcing her retirement following the 2026 WNBA season, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert has spoken about her incredible career.
Once she retires following the 2026 WNBA season, fans will be able to truly appreciate Nneka Ogwumike's impact on women's basketball as well as the league.
Following the 36-year-old's announcement on Wednesday, there was an outpouring of appreciation and tributes from the WNBA world for the former champion.
The first overall draft pick in 2012, Ogwumike has enjoyed an exceptional career. And with her peers showing her love, league commissioner Cathy Engelbert wasn't far behind.
Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images

#engelbert

BOSTON (AP) — Olivia Nelson-Ododa scored 18 points and Kennedy Burke had 17 to lead the Connecticut Sun to an 85-77 win over the Los Angeles Sparks at TD Garden on Tuesday night.
Diamond Miller finished with 13 points for the Sun, who played a game in Boston for the third straight year before moving next season to Houston.
Nelson-Ododa also had 11 rebounds and scored 13 points in the first half for the Sun (9-25). Leila Lacan had 10 ****** ists and Saniya Rivers scored 11 points off the bench. Burke shot 3 for 4 from beyond the arc.
The Sun took a 7-2 lead off a pull-up 3-pointer by Miller. Leading 46-40 at halftime, the Sun went on an 8-0 run that started with a driving layup by Nelson-Ododa, who was fouled and completed the three-point play. Burke added a 3-pointer and Miller made a layup to force the Sparks to take a timeout.
Rae Burrell finished with 19 points for the Sparks (12-23). Nneka Ogwumike added 18 and Dearica Hamby scored 15.

#burke #finished

Caitlin Clark has been unstoppable this season to say the least. She is also strengthening her case as the WNBA's biggest star to date.
The Indiana Fever guard earned props as Eastern Conference Player of the Week for Week 12 with 25.7 points, 9.7 ****** ists and 3.3 rebounds through three games.
More: Caitlin Clark wins WNBA honor for 4th time this season
Clark's numbers show why she remains one of the league's toughest players to defend. She received some huge praise from former two-time All-Star Chiney Ogwumike.
"We all know she is an amazing shooter and excellent point guard, but what I personally love is how she continues to improve each and every year," Ogwumike said.

#guard #indiana #fever

LOS ANGELES -- The fight was there. But once again, it wasn't enough.
It's felt like a recurring theme for the Sparks this season. Get down big and then come back, only to fall short. It would've been great to keep the momentum going after that huge win against the Lynx but the Sparks couldn't overcome the Valkyries at home, 84-78.
The Sparks got down, 29-15, after one. The team wished they could take back that first quarter.
"I think (Erica Wheeler) put it best when we finished the game," Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike said after the game. "She was saying it's the small things, especially when you're... everybody right now is in the thick of it in the season so when you're trying to put these games together, you really have to pay attention to those details. I think a lot of those details showed up in that first quarter. I think we probably can all say that we would do that first quarter over but with a team like that, you absolutely can't have multiple quarters, even one quarter, playing that way."
The Sparks have had many slow starts this season and Sunday was no exception.

#quarter #season #down

Chiney Ogwumike reacts to WNBA's Caitlin Clark suspension decision originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Caitlin Clark will be available for the Indiana Fever's next game after the WNBA rescinded a controversial technical foul that would have triggered an automatic one-game suspension.
The decision drew support from former WNBA star and current ESPN ******* yst Chiney Ogwumike, who believed the league reached the correct conclusion after reviewing Clark's brief contact with an official during Indiana's win over the Chicago Sky.
Clark received what was initially ruled her eighth technical foul of the season late in the third quarter. However, the league later erased the call, returning her season total to seven and clearing her to play against the New York Liberty on Tuesday.
The disputed moment occurred while Clark was attacking the basket. After absorbing contact from Natasha Cloud, the Fever guard lost her balance and stumbled toward the sideline, where she brushed against an official. Although the contact appeared incidental, Clark was ******* sed a technical foul.

#sporting #WNBA

On Friday, members of the Oregon women's basketball team filed a petition for union representation with the Oregon Employment Relations Board, marking the latest unionization effort in college sports—and the first based solely on public sector state labor laws.
The effort was led by the United College Athletes **** ociation, a 501(c)(5) labor union founded by former NCAA track athlete Andrew Cooper,which has been working to organize women's basketball specifically since 2024. While this is the first formal move toward unionization, the UCAA says it has more than 100 women's basketball players who have signed "unionization authorization cards."
The UCAA's advisory board includes current and former members of professional sports unions, including NWSLPA executive director Meghann Burke and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, as well as former National Labor Relations Board executives.
"We deserve a seat at the table, meaningful protections, fair compensation, and a collective bargaining agreement that raises the standard for everyone," Maryland women's basketball player Oluchi Okananwa, the interim president of the UCAA, said in a statement. "This work is bigger than any one season or generation. We are building lasting power for the athletes competing today and those who will come after us."
The news comes just several days after a separate organization, the College Football Players **** ociation, launched an organizing effort among football players at Stanford. Unlike the UCAA's effort, however, Stanford football players aren't filing for formal union authorization just yet—they're waiting for a more favorable political climate.

#labor #former

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 29 points and Sabrina Ionescu scored 27 to help the New York Liberty hold off the Los Angeles Sparks 113-109 on Tuesday night.
Stewart made 11 of 19 shots and scored 19 points in the second half after New York (16-12) trailed 56-53 at the break. She added seven ******* ists, four rebounds and four steals.
Ionescu shot 9 for 16 with five 3-pointers and had 14 points in the first quarter to help the Liberty lead 36-30.
Rebekah Gardner finished with 15 points for New York and fellow reserves Han Xu and Marine Fauthoux each scored 13.
Rae Burrell had 24 points to lead Los Angeles (10-17), which has lost six straight and nine of 11. Nneka Ogwumike chipped in with 21 points and nine ******* ists after posting four straight double-doubles.

#points #york #liberty

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Breanna Stewart had 29 points and Sabrina Ionescu scored 27 to help the New York Liberty hold off the Los Angeles Sparks 113-109 on Tuesday night.
Stewart made 11 of 19 shots and scored 19 points in the second half after New York (16-12) trailed 56-53 at the break. She added seven **** ists, four rebounds and four steals.
Ionescu shot 9 for 16 with five 3-pointers and had 14 points in the first quarter to help the Liberty lead 36-30.
Rebekah Gardner finished with 15 points for New York and fellow reserves Han Xu and Marine Fauthoux each scored 13.
Rae Burrell had 24 points to lead Los Angeles (10-17), which has lost six straight and nine of 11. Nneka Ogwumike chipped in with 21 points and nine **** ists after posting four straight double-doubles.

#york #ionescu #liberty

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JULY 25: WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert speaks to the media during a press conference prior to the 2026 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game between Team Coop and Team Spoon at the United Center on July 25, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sage Zipeto/Getty Images)
Amid the excitement of the 2026 WNBA All-Star celebrations, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced the launch of a Replay Center beginning with the 2027 season, a move intended to address concerns about officiating and on-court safety raised by players, coaches and fans.
"This is one of the most significant investments we've ever made in our basketball operations," said Engelbert during the All-Star pregame press conference on Saturday. "This investment of tens of millions of dollars will help bring greater consistency, efficiency, and transparency to our officiating process, while continuing to improve the quality of the game."
Engelbert shared few details about the project but said that the WNBA will center operations alongside the NBA Replay Center in Secaucus, N.J., where officials will have access to additional camera angles and replay footage to help them make better-informed decisions.
Los Angeles Sparks forward and WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike welcomed the move, emphasizing the positive impact it can have on the relationship between players and the league.

#user

After missing the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game in Indianapolis due to injury, Caitlin Clark is healthy and ready for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game inside Chicago's United Center.
Clark is now a three-time WNBA All-Star. The Indiana Fever star is one of the starters and was the leading vote-getter on Team Spoon. Team Spoon is named after WNBA legend Teresa Weatherspoon, who served as the team's honorary general manager.
Clark is joined by fellow Fever All-Star Aliyah Boston, Las Vegas Aces center A'ja Wilson, Minnesota Lynx guard Olivia Miles, and Dallas Wings forward Jessica Shepard as starters on Team Spoon. The rest of Team Spoon includes Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream guard Allisha Gray, New York Liberty center Jonquel Jones, Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams, Washington Mystics forward Kiki Iriafen, and Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike.
Watch 2026 WNBA All-Star Game
Clark and Team Spoon will square off against Team Coop. Team Coop's honorary general manager is another WNBA great in Cynthia Cooper.

#star #clark #forward

CHICAGO — The WNBA All-Stars will not play with America-themed patches on their jerseys as part of the celebration of the nation's 250th birthday.
"No, they're not on the jerseys," New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart said Friday at a post-practice media availability at the Obama Presidential Center.
The news comes after a June report from Sportico said the WNBA planned to have its biggest stars wear USA 250 patches during Saturday's All-Star Game at the United Center (8:30 p.m. ET, ABC/Disney+).
Women's National Basketball Players ******* ociation president Nneka Ogwumike, a forward for the L.A. Sparks, said Friday the report prompted the union to discuss the patches with league leadership.
"As players, we did ask about it," Ogwumike said. "I think being in a league where you're able to have that type of conversation with your leadership is important. You're not always in a position to be able to question certain things, and our players own the fact that we have a level of autonomy.

#Friday

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Alyssa Thomas recorded her 20th triple-double in the regular season, Kahleah Copper scored 21 points and the Phoenix Mercury edged the Los Angeles Sparks 86-82 on Wednesday afternoon.
Thomas, who also has six triple-doubles in the playoffs, finished with 19 points, 15 ****** ists and 11 rebounds. She had ****** ists on seven of the last eight baskets scored by the Mercury, who had 28 ****** ists on 35 baskets. Her final one, to Monique Akoa Makani with 14 seconds left, sealed the win.
Akoa Makani had 14 points for the Mercury (10-18), who won their second straight after a six-game losing streak. Natasha Mack added 10. Phoenix was 12-of-18 shooting with 10 ****** ists in the fourth quarter.
Rae Burrell had 20 points for the Sparks (10-16), who take a five-game losing streak into the All-Star break. Dearica Hamby had 18 points and 10 rebounds, but missed a tying layup with 19 seconds to go. Ariel Atkins added 15 points and Nneka Ogwumike had 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Ogwumike, with her ninth rebound of the game, passed Candace Parker (2,902) for second place on the Sparks’ career list behind Lisa Leslie. She finished with her 12th double-double of the season.

#game

Project B, the new global women's and men's basketball league, has named former Atlanta Hawks general manager Landry Fields as its head of men's basketball.
The league made the announcement Thursday morning, adding that Fields will oversee men's player recruitment and team operations and work closely with the league's chief basketball officer Alana Beard.
"Landry understands the game from every angle," Beard, the No. 2 pick in the 2004 WNBA draft, said in a statement distributed by the league. "He's been a player, he's built teams, and he knows culture doesn't happen by accident."
The league has already started rolling out its women's circuit, and so far about a dozen women's basketball players have said they'll be participating, including Dallas Wings rookie Azzi Fudd, former WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike, Alyssa Thomas, Jonquel Jones, Jewell Loyd and Seattle Storm rookie Awa Fam. Many young players from around the world are also expected to play.
Project B will feature six teams with 11 players and plans to barnstorm across Europe and Asia. Valencia, Spain, and Tokyo have already been announced as two of the host cities. It will debut early next year, with the men's and women's circuits running together from January-April.

Caitlin Clark returned on Wednesday to play her first game since Jun. 24. However, the Los Angeles Sparks spoiled the superstar's anticipated return by upsetting the Indiana Fever 106-92, without their best player and leading scorer, Kelsey Plum. It was the Fever's eighth game this season in which they conceded 100-plus points.
They have matched the Detroit Shock's record with the second-most games in a season while allowing 100-plus points. With one more loss like this, the Fever will match the Dallas Wings' 2024 record of nine. The Fever still have 23 games left, and with how their defense has looked, they could break the WNBA's record for most losses in a season while their opponents score 100-plus points.
The Fever are average at best on defense when at full strength. They have a 106.4 defensive rating, which is eighth in the league. They are allowing 89.7 points per game, the most among teams with a winning record. Despite barrelling in the lower half of the standings, the Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Phoenix Mercury and Seattle Storm have conceded fewer ppg than Indiana.
On Wednesday, the Fever struggled more as they were missing center Aliyah Boston. The Sparks exploited Indiana's struggles on the interior, making 15 of their 40 field goals at the rim. The Sparks' frontcourt trio of Dearica Hamby, Nneka Ogwumike and Rae Burrell combined to score 67 points between them on 53.0% field goal shooting.
Caitlin Clark failed to find a rhythm in her first game back after two weeks. Clark had nine points, four rebounds, three ***** ists and four turnovers, while shooting 4-for-12 from the field, including 1-for-6 from three-point range. Stephanie White played her in short bursts as the superstar guard was on a minutes restriction, playing only 15:39 minutes.

All-Stars Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston are game-time decisions as the Indiana Fever (12-8) visit the Los Angeles Sparks (8-11) at crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Wednesday night, looking for a third straight win and a season sweep of the Sparks.
Jun 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (5) and forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) and guard Kelsey Plum (10) react against the Portland Fire in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
When: Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Time: 10:00 PM ET
TV Channel: Spectrum Sports Network

The WNBA announced All-Star reserves Tuesday evening, and the Atlanta Dream are the most represented.
Angel Reese and Dream guards Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray are among those voted as reserves by the league’s 15 head coaches. The Dream had no players voted as All-Star starters to the dismay of Reese, who called their exclusion “disrespectful.”
This will be Reese’s third All-Star nod and the fourth for Gray and Howard.
Joining the Dream’s three leading scorers are Washington Mystics guard Sonia Citron and forward Kiki Iriafen, Los Angeles Sparks teammates Kelsey Plum and Nneka Ogwumike, Las Vegas Aces guard Jackie Young, New York Liberty forward Jonquel Jones and Minnesota Lynx guard Courtney Williams.
Toronto Tempo guard Marina Mabrey and Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga join starters Olivia Miles and Jessica Shepard as first-time All-Stars.

NEW YORK -- The 2026 WNBA All-Star reserves for the Chicago game have been named.
They will join the starters that were selected a few days ago.
The reserves were chosen by WNBA coaches, who could vote for three guards, five frontcourt players, and four others in any position. They could not vote for their own players, though.
Two Sparks were picked as reserves: Kelsey Plum and Nneka Ogwumike.
Plum is currently out with a leg injury but has been phenomenal this entire season. She's averaging a career-best 23.9 points per game as well as 6.4 ******* ists, also the best in her WNBA career. One of the games included a fantastic 43-point performance in double overtime against the Mercury. She was deemed out for approximately four weeks starting at June 24th and with the all-star game on July 25th, she's likely going to be replaced for the midseason exhibition. But it'll be something to watch as the game gets closer. This is Plum's fifth all-star selection of her career.

The WNBA announced its All-Star reserves on Tuesday, completing the player pool following last week's reveal of starters for the game.
A trio of Atlanta Dream players in Angel Reese, Rhyne Howard and Allisha Gray were among the 12 players revealed to round out the All-Star rosters.
Angel Reese, Atlanta Dream
Rhyne Howard, Atlanta Dream
Allisha Gray, Atlanta Dream
Nneka Ogwumike, Los Angeles Sparks
Kelsey Plum, Los Angeles Sparks
Sonia Citron, Washington Mystics
Kiki Iriafen, Washington Mystics
Marina Mabrey, Toronto Tempo
Courtney Williams, Minnesota Lynx
Jackie Young, Las Vegas Aces
Jonquel Jones, New York Liberty
Dominique Malonga, Seattle Storm
The selection for Ogwumike marked the 11th of her career, tying her with Diana Taurasi for the second-most in WNBA history. Sue Bird is in first place with 13 career All-Star selections.
The reserves were selected by the league's 15 head coaches. Coaches were prohibited from voting for players on their own teams.

LOS ANGELES -- The Seattle Storm defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, 82-64, at Crypto.com Arena on July 6, 2026 and The Sporting Tribune's Darwin Walker was there to capture the following TST Images.
Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune
Flau'jae Johnson #4 of the Seattle Storm dribbles the basketball during a WNBA game against the Los Angeles Sparks on July 6, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.
Darwin Walker - The Sporting Tribune
Nneka Ogwumike #30 of the Los Angeles Sparks shoots the basketball during a WNBA game against the Seattle Storm on July 6, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA.

Player participation in the WNBA All-Star vote for starters was incomplete.
Some Los Angeles Sparks players did not receive ballots before the results were tallied and released Thursday, a team spokesperson said in a statement shared with The Athletic. "Players were sent ballots via email," the statement said. "Some players indicated that they didn't receive the email or weren't aware of it until after the voting period had closed. That's something we take responsibility for as an organization, and we'll have a more robust process going forward."
Teams are responsible for distributing ballots and can choose how to deliver them to players, who can vote for teammates as starters.
ESPN first reported the news and also reported that about only 85 players among the league's minimum 180 players cast ballots for All-Star Game starters, which are decided by weighted voting categories, including 25 percent from player votes. Fan selections make up 50 percent of the vote for All-Star starters. Members of a media voting panel account for the other 25 percent.
When the WNBA announced All-Star starters and voting tallies, it revealed Sparks guard Kelsey Plum finished 12th in the player rank for guards, fifth in media rank and sixth in fan rank. Plum, who has been limited to 12 games this season due to injury, is the league's second-leading scorer, averaging 23.9 points per game. Nneka Ogwumike, a WNBA champion with the Sparks, was seventh in player rank, eighth in fan rank and 10th in media rank.

The Indiana Fever won 111-87 on Saturday, June 27 against the Los Angeles Sparks. The Fever played the home game without star point guard Caitlin Clark, who is battling a back injury.
Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 26 points. Aliyah Boston had 17.
Nneka Ogwumike led the Sparks with 17 points.
The Indiana Fever announced on June 26 that Clark would miss the team's game against the Los Angeles Sparks.
Fever head coach Stephanie White said during a media availability that there is "no indication" how long the former Iowa women's basketball star will be out, stressing that her long-term health is the top priority.

Kamilla Cardoso broke a WNBA record for the most field goals without a miss. Then, she shrugged it off.
"Just to stay consistent. I think my teammates (are) doing a great job just finding me and passing me the ball when I'm open," The Chicago Sky center said, casually smiling after going a perfect 13-for-13 from the floor against the Portland Fire.
Los Angeles Sparks forward Nnneka Ogwumike held the ****** le for most consecutive baskets (12-for-12) since 2016. Cardoso's new league record came en route to a 124-94 win and a career-high 30 points. The Sky center also had eight rebounds and a block.
"I think she was incredible," Sky guard Courtney Vandersloot said postgame.
"I think that it's been trending that for a while ... She's been playing awesome, and she has the capability to do that. And we're gonna ride this wave and keep expecting this from her. She was incredible tonight, and she should be celebrated."

Hoops 360 host Caroline Fenton and women’s basketball writer Cassandra Negley break down the heated on-court scuffle between the Indiana Fever and Phoenix Mercury. Did Caitlin Clark deserve her fifth technical foul of the season? And what should fans make of the flurry of technicals ***** sed to several star players during the tense matchup?
Caroline and Cass also celebrate the official start of the WNBA’s 30th anniversary season, highlighted by a thrilling game-winner from Nneka Ogwumike that lifted the Los Angeles Sparks to a dramatic 98–97 victory over the New York Liberty. They reflect on the league’s remarkable growth and point out former WNBA players who helped pave the way for today’s success.
Plus, a preview of the 2026 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship showdown between the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty. Which team will become the first in league history to win the Commissioner’s Cup twice?
01:56 - Takeaways from Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever's scuffle with the Phoenix Mercury
19:09 - Highlighting the official tip off to the WNBA's 30th season: Sparks take down Liberty 98-97 with buzzer beater

LOS ANGELES — As the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty met Sunday night to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the WNBA’s first game, Nneka Ogwumike found herself tasked with explaining the meaning behind the moment.
Who else would it be? The Sparks forward is, after all, “Madame President,” the leader of the players’ union and one of the most veteran players in the league. But her best answer was what she did when the Sparks trailed by two with a second left, when she caught the ball on the left wing, elevated and let it rain.
Splash! As a sold-out Crypto.com Arena celebrated Ogwumike’s buzzer-beater for a 98-97 Sparks victory, it became crystal clear that the meaning of the WNBA’s past 30 seasons was getting to this moment of celebration.
“I just felt the emotions of it all,” Ogwumike said. “Getting the win, it’s more than just a number in the W column. It’s incredibly meaningful, especially for this community of people that have been pouring into us, these legends that have laid the foundation. I just kind of felt it all in that moment.”
Ogwumike, 35, has been a presence in the WNBA for half its existence. She is not only considered one of its best players but also a compass, carefully guiding players beyond the past and into an uncharted future. Her leadership was on full display in the 17 months of negotiations between the WNBA and WNBPA that culminated in a revolutionary collective bargaining agreement that is highlighted by the first $1 million salaries and a historic revenue-sharing model.

LOS ANGELES -- It was a game to remember.
This video equals a thousand words. And three decades in the making.
The Sparks were down 17 in the third quarter. Los Angeles chipped it little by little and even took the lead at one point. After Breanna Stewart split two free throws to give the Liberty a 97-95 lead with under 10 seconds left. With no timeouts, Erica Wheeler took it the length of the court and found an open Nneka Ogwumike for the game-winning three. The Sparks won a thriller, 98-97.
Were there any options for the final play?
"Well, because when we didn't have it, when we were in the timeout when they were reviewing it, we weren't sure if we were going to be down... we were only up one or they were up one. We knew we were going to be down two or three, so we drew it up for a three. But the players knew that we only needed two but they all collapsed on the drive and found Nneka."

LOS ANGELES — Nneka Ogwumike couldn’t fight back the tears as the ESPN broadcast asked her what it meant to have a celebration of the WNBA’s evolution on her home court.
No. 30 hit the game-winner at the buzzer for the Los Angeles Sparks’ 98-97 victory over the New York Liberty on Sunday night to commemorate the league’s 30th season and honor all of the legends in the building who helped the franchise survive to this point. It was all too much for the 15-year veteran to process during her live interview minutes after the victory. Thus, the overflow of emotion.
“What a great moment, and the perfect person to hit that,” Los Angeles coach Lynne Roberts said.
The passage of time was omnipresent for the Sparks and Liberty. Lisa Leslie and Kym Hampton lined up at center court for the pregame tip-off, just as they did for the WNBA’s debut game on this date in 1997. Los Angeles legends DeLisha Milton-Jones and Tamecka Dixon were at Sparks practice on Saturday, and the New York Liberty welcomed original roster members Sue Wicks, Hampton, Teresa Weatherspoon and Vickie Johnson at their walk-through.
The history and the present of the league all intertwined Sunday, and Ogwumike — the fourth-leading scorer in WNBA history and the architect of the last two collective bargaining agreements as the players’ union president — tied it all together.

The New York Liberty (11-5) play for the first time since their eight-game winning streak was snapped when they open a four-game Western road trip with a visit to the Los Angeles Sparks (7-8) at crypto.com Arena on Sunday night.
Jun 15, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike (30) looks for a pass during the second quarter against the Golden State Valkyries in a Commissioner's Cup game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Kupbens-Imagn Images
When: Sunday, June 21, 2026
Time: 8:00 PM ET
TV Channel: ESPN, ESPN Deportes

Hoops 360 host Caroline Fenton is joined by WNBA reporter, writer and podcaster Jackie Powell who dishes out the latest updates on all things Commissioner’s Cup. The duo dive into the New York Liberty’s unbeaten run through the Eastern Conference and debate who will emerge from the West: the Minnesota Lynx or the Las Vegas Aces.
Plus, 10x WNBA All-Star, WNBA champion, president of the WNBPA and LA Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike joins the show! She discusses why she decided to return to the LA Sparks, her experience watching the new CBA she fought for come to life and opens up about what it’s like playing with teammate Kelsey Plum.
Who do you have winning the 2026 Commissioner’s Cup Championship? Let us know in the comments!
01:40 - What does the schedule expansion to 50 games in 2027 mean for the WNBA?
05:43 - 2026 WNBA Commissioner's Cup check-in: The West

The Sparks couldn't find their footing on the road Monday night, falling 78-58 to the Golden State Valkyries at Chase Center. Los Angeles came in looking to extend its own winning streak to three games and build on the best 7-6 start to a season since 2020, but a sluggish opening quarter put the team in a hole they could never dig out of.
First Quarter
It was a quiet start for this Sparks offense, going scoreless for the first four minutes before Kelsey Plum, who leads the league at 26.6 points per game, knocked down a three to get the team on the board. That shot was a reminder of what Plum can do from anywhere on the floor, but it wasn't enough to spark the group. The Valkyries, by contrast, were patient and deliberate, picking their spots and shooting better than 60% from the field. The lone highlight of the quarter for LA was Nneka Ogwumike reaching 7,500 career points, moving into fourth on the all-time scoring list.
Second Quarter
Cameron Brink set the tone for Los Angeles early, with a big block followed by back-to-back layups that accounted for almost all of her team's points to open the period. The Sparks bench tried to answer, with Rae Burrell making some athletic, high-energy plays, but turnovers kept getting in the way. LA finished the half with 8 turnovers, which the Valkyries turned into 12 points, while Golden State committed just 4. The Sparks also shot a cold 1-for-8 from three. With the offense unable to find any consistency, Golden State took a 45-26 lead.