Two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike re-signs with Sparks
Two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike has re-signed with the Los Angeles Sparks, the multiplatform ESPN commentator announced while guest-hosting «NBA Today» on Wednesday.
Ogwumike, a former No. 1 overall draft pick out of Stanford in 2014, will reunite with Curt Miller, who coached her for two seasons during her previous stint with the Connecticut Sun.
«I'm not gonna lie,» Ogwumike said on «NBA Today» Wednesday. «The last two seasons for me have been the hardest seasons. You all know the peaks and valleys of basketball. But nonetheless, I'm grateful for this new chapter, to be back with L.A., reunited with my former coach, Curt Miller.»
«The WNBA has real momentum and I'm grateful to still be part of it.»
Ogwumike, who's averaged 11.8 points, 6.7 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game throughout her career, opted out of the 2020 «bubble» campaign and was limited to just seven games in 2021 due to injuries. She told ESPN last year that she spent the 2022 offseason getting to the root of her knee issues.
Last summer, the Sparks more broadly experienced turmoil with the midseason firing of then-head coach Derek Fisher and sudden departure of four-time All-Star Liz Cambage ahead of their playoff push.
For the first time since 1997 and 1998, the three-time champion Sparks missed the playoffs for consecutive seasons.
Aside from hiring Miller this past spring, the Sparks have had an intriguing offseason, trading for guard Jasmine Thomas and forward Dearica Hamby. The former is coming off an ACL tear while the latter says she intends to play this summer after giving birth in the coming weeks. Los Angeles also made headlines by signing free agent Azura Stevens and Stephanie Talbot, but the latter recently tore her ACL playing in