Nneka Ogwumike, a basketball player, was born in the United States and now plays for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks.
The daughter of Nigerian immigrants, Nneka (her name means “Mother is Supreme”) began playing basketball while still in high school.
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Nneka Ogwumike Biography
She was born July 2, 1990 in the USA. She comes from a Nigerian home of both parents who also have American citizenship.
She played on the varsity squad during her senior Year at Cypress-Fairbanks High School in Cypress, Texas, and helped her squad win the 5A state championship.
On a game-by-game basis in 2007–08, she recorded 16.8 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 2.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks.
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She competed in the 2008 WBCA High School All-America Game, leading the white team in scoring 17 points and adding six boards to her total. A WBCA All-American was also Nneka Ogwumike.
At 33 in September 2023, Nneka Ogwumike has already made an unforgettable impact on basketball.
Growing up in a sports-crazed household, she found her calling on the court early and embarked on her athletic career.
Her Nigerian parents, Peter and Ify Ogwumike, emigrated to the US and always pushed their daughters to do well in school and the field.
When Nneka was a student at Cy-Fair High School in Cypress, Texas, she was already a basketball sensation.
Thanks to her outstanding basketball talents, she attended Stanford University on a full sports and academic scholarship.
The accomplishments of Nneka Ogwumike during her basketball career are astounding.
She has left an indelible mark both in her academic and professional pursuits and as an American representative abroad.
Nneka was an integral part of the Stanford Cardinals’ success at Stanford University.
They made it to the NCAA Tournament more than once, and among her many collegiate accolades, she was named Pac-12 Player of the Year twice.
Nneka Career
Nneka Ogwumike became the second player from her high school, Cypress-Fairbanks High School, to be rated No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft (2012).
The Los Angeles Sparks selected her at that position. She started her WNBA career in 2012. Lindsey Harding was the first one.
She earned the WNBA Debut of the Year award in 2012 and was awarded Rookie of the Month four times in her debut season.
For the second year in a row, she received WNBA All-Star voting in 2014. She was honoured with the AP WNBA Player of the Year award for the 2016 season.
Thanks to his records, she won the 2016 WNBA Most Valuable Player award on top of finishing third in the league. That was also the year she became the WNBA Players Association president.
She was selected for the 2017 WNBA All-Star Game shortly after signing a contract extension with the 2017 Sparksen.
She guided the Sparks to victory for the second year at the season’s conclusion.
They made it to the Finals for the second year in a row after finishing as the No. 2 seed; this time, they beat the Phoenix Mercury in a three-game sweep.
Regrettably, the Sparks would endure five consecutive losses and never reach the final game.
In 2008, Nneka competed for the United States national women’s under-18 basketball team and helped them win the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires.
The following year, she joined the Under-19 squad and was covered in the World Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.
At the World University Games, she was a national squad member who took home the gold medal. She averaged 13.2 points per game, 5.7 rebounds, and a 65.3 per cent shooting rate, placing her second on the squad.
Clubs have also been associated with the outstanding player. During the 2012–2013 winter break, she competed for and won a title with CCC Polkowice of Poland.
Since 2014, she has spent three of Russia’s offseasons playing with Dynamo Kursk.
Her accolades include being named the WNBA MVP in 2016 and the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2012.
She has also been named ten times WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week, three defensive All-Star selections, four WNBA All-Star games, and three All-WNBA teams.
Nneka Ogwumike Net Worth
Nneka Ogwumike’s wealth is predicted to range from $2 million to $3 million as of today while still active.
Her collaborations with well-known companies such as Pepsi, Nike, and Adidas have only increased her fame and fortune.
Nevertheless, Ogwumike has many interests and passions outside of basketball; she is more than just a player.
Her education includes a master’s in sociology and a bachelor’s in international relations from Stanford University.
She is a conscious and active athlete who uses her position well due to her upbringing and what she has lead.
Nneka Ogwumike remain a big name in the WNBA where she have claimed success alongside her sister who is another player.
