Nneka Ogwumike's WNBA Retirement Won't End Basketball Career

Longtime women's basketball icon and current WNBPA President Nneka Ogwumike announced on Wednesday morning that she will retire from the WNBA at the end of the 2026 season.

However, it doesn't appear that her basketball career will end when the Los Angeles Sparks' season concludes on September 24. Ogwumike is signed to play in Project B's inaugural season at the end of this offseason, and Colin Salao of Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday that Ogwumike will still be playing in Project B this winter.

Two notes Nneka Ogwumike's WNBA retirement:

1. She will play in Project B's inaugural season in January, per league source.
2. She will remain WNBPA president until the next election, which will come before the end of the year, per union source.

More ⬇️https://t.co/HNago1CuM5
— Colin Salao (@colincsalao) August 19, 2026

It's interesting to hear that Ogwumike's basketball career won't end in the WNBA. Then again, it makes sense for her to want to experience at least one season in Project B before calling it a career.

Ogwumike was quoted as saying, “I’m very excited to be going over there and experiencing those things," about Project B during a panel at WNBA All-Star Weekend in Chicago last month.

"But then, most especially, having ownership. Being able to say that I’m a partner in this. It’s something that women like we have here today, who before they had the resources or the autonomy granted to us, had been preaching that for us for so long," Ogwumike added.

Ogwumike was referring to how every player who participates in Project B receives an equity stake in the upstart league, which is a clear reason why she's be incentivized to play at least one season there. Not to mention that she's surely receiving a nice salary for Project B.

Reflecting on Nneka Ogwumike's WNBA Career

Ogwumike will leave a lasting legacy behind in the WNBA. She will have played 15 seasons in the league, 13 of which came with the Sparks. She won the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award in 2012, then was named the WNBA MVP and won a league championship in 2016.

Despite being 36 years old, Ogwumike remains one of the most consistent and solid forwards in the WNBA. She's averaging 16.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game this season.

As much as Ogwumike has done on the court, what she has done off the court might be arguably more important. She has served as the WNBPA's president for 10 years and guided the league through two collective bargaining agreements, including the milestone CBA from this past offseason that created a massive salary boost across the league.

Ogwumike signed a one-year, $950,000 contract with the Sparks this past offseason.

Add us as a preferred source on Google