Sparks Coach Explains What Made Nneka Ogwumike’s Game-Winner vs Liberty So ‘Powerful’
Last night’s meeting between the New York Liberty and Los Angeles Sparks was no ordinary game. It was the 30th anniversary of the first-ever WNBA game and a rematch between two of the original eight franchises.
The two teams honored the occasion with a thrilling game that came down to the last possession. New York got out to an early lead, but Los Angeles clawed back and eventually won the game 98-97 on a clutch 3-pointer from Nneka Ogwumike—a very different outcome than in 1997 when the Liberty won 67-57.
Seeing Ogwumike, who not only led the Sparks to their third title with an MVP season in 2016 but also led the charge on the push for a transformative new CBA this past offseason, hit the game-winner in the anniversary game was special. Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts couldn’t think of a better player to make that shot.
“I think anyone in our locker room wouldn’t have picked another person to hit that shot,” Roberts said in the postgame media availability, per a video on the Sparks’ YouTube channel. “What she’s done for this league, I mean, she’s one of one. And so on a night like tonight, where we’re honoring the legacy not only of the Sparks but of the league and what Nneka has done for this league, especially recently with getting that new CBA done, it’s powerful when you think about it.”
Ogwumike also led all scorers in the game with 24 points on 11-18 shooting from the field and added 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals.
Nneka Ogwumike is a part of the WNBA’s history on and off the court
Ogwumike entered the WNBA as the number-one pick in 2012. 14 years later, she is a league MVP, a 10-time All-Star, and a member of the league’s 25th-anniversary team. She also ranks fourth on the league’s all-time scoring list, trailing only Diana Taurasi, Tina Charles, and DeWanna Bonner, and on the all-time rebounding list. Only Tina Charles, Sylvia Fowles, and Candace Parker grabbed more rebounds than Ogwumike.
As she is still active and Bonner is the only other active player ahead of her in both categories, Ogwumike can still climb higher.
Ogwumike has exemplified sustained excellence on the court for years, but her legacy goes way beyond that. The 35-year-old is the current president of the WNBPA and found herself front and center in historic CBA negotiations this offseason.
After a few seasons full of attendance and viewership records, players finally had the leverage they needed to push for higher salaries, a better revenue-sharing system, better standards for facilities, benefits for already retired players, and additional roster spots. Ogwumike and her team delivered with a CBA that allowed for the first group of million-dollar players in the W, added two developmental spots on each team, and featured recognition payments for the players who built the league while earning small salaries and making do without practice facilities or charter flights.
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Elaine Blum covers women’s basketball for On SI from Europe. She has been writing about women's hoops since 2023 and holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism and a master’s degree in American Studies with a focus on women’s and gender studies. She started playing basketball when she was 10 years old and won several league and state championships at the youth and senior level.