Nneka Ogwumike is a familiar name for basketball enthusiasts in the world of women’s basketball. She was a first overall pick about more a than decade ago. However, over time she has evolved into a marketable player who went on a spree of dominating the world of WNBA. She made sure to not only participate in the team winnings but also earn recognition at the WNBA All-Star games. Over time, she led the teams that she represented in the league to get to the WNBA championships. Along with being a leading player, she distinguished herself as the defensive face of the teams. Today, the following piece will explore how Nneka Ogwumike developed her career in the league from her early days at home to the college and NCAA recognition. Ready to dive in? Let’s go ahead with it.
Nneka Ogwumike Biography
Date of Birth | July 2, 1990 |
Age | 34 Years Old |
Birth Place | Tomball, Texas |
Position | Forward |
College/County | Stanford University |
Height | 6’2″ |
Weight | 190 lbs |
Team | Seattle Storm |
Draft Info | 2012 Round 1 Pick 1 |
Experience | 13 Years |
Nneka hails from a family of athletes. However, we will talk about that in the personal life details of the WNBA star. But when it comes to the biography of Nneka Ogwumike, she comes from Nigeria originally. Her name is also special as her name Nneka means “Mother is Supreme.” It is inspired the native Igbo language of Nigeria. During her upbringing in Texas, United States, she decided to pursue her high school studies from Cy-Fair High School in Cypress, Texas. Her record as a high schooler was quite impressive as she led her team to the 5A State Championship in her senior year as per WNBA data.
- Was a three-year letter winner in basketball and volleyball, and lettered one year in track
- Captained the basketball and volleyball teams for three years each, and was a track captain in her only season with the team
- Swept the Gatorade National and State Player of the Year awards as a senior
- Also named Miss Basketball Texas and shared Parade Co-Player of the Year honors
- Collected Houston Player of the Year honors three times
- Named a McDonald’s All-American, as well as earning All-America honors from the WBCA, EA Sports, MaxPreps, and SLAM! Magazine, Parade, and USA Today following her senior season
- In 2008 was named MVP of the state tournament after helping lead Cy-Fair to the state 5A Championship
- A three-time district MVP in basketball and as a junior was named to the all-state team
- Also earned first-team All-America honors from EA Sports and second-team All-America recognition from Parade
- Was named Miss Basketball Texas and Miss Gatorade Texas following her junior season in which Cy-Fair reached the state tournament title game
- In volleyball was a three-time district MVP and Houston First-Team selection
- As a senior was named first-team all-state, and a USA Today All-American and was named Academic All-State as a senior
- Played club basketball for Cy-Fair Shock 90 from 2001-07 and helped lead club team to Elite Eight appearance at AAU Nationals (2004), Adidas Top Ten title (2006), a runner-up finish at Oregon Trail (2007), and a semifinal appearance at the Nike Nationals (2007)
- Earned a spot on the AAU Nationals All-Tournament Team
- Was named an Upperclassmen Participant and All-Star at the Adidas Top Ten
- Named Top Performer at the Nike Nationals and took home MVP honors at Oregon Trail.
Also Read: Candace Parker’s Net Worth, Career Highlights, and Legacy in the WNBA
College Career
Freshman Year:
- Named to Pac-10 All-Freshman Team and also earned a spot on the Pac-10 All-Tournament Team
- Scored 11 points in win over Rutgers, also grabbing six boards and passing out four assists
- Posted a second double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds against UCLA
- Scored 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting against Oregon State and scored 13 points with six rebounds against Oregon
- She had 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds at USC, scored nine points against Arizona State, and scored 15 points on 7-for-14 shooting with seven rebounds against Arizona
- Posted third double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds against UCLA
- Scored 14 points with seven rebounds against USC and posted a fourth double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds against UCSB
- Posted career day with 27 points and 13 rebounds along with 11 free throws made at San Diego State
- Scored 15 points with seven rebounds against Ohio State
- Scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds against Connecticut at the Final Four for her sixth double-double.
Sophomore Year:
- Named to State Farm Coaches’ All-America Team and also tabbed to Associated Press All-America Second Team
- She was named Pac-10 Player of the Year, to All-Pac-10 Team, Pac-10 Tournament Most Outstanding Player and Sacramento Regional MVP
- She was a finalist for the Wade Trophy and the John R. Wooden Award
- Opened the season with a double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds with a career-high 10 field goals at Old Dominion
- Posted her third double-double against Tennessee with 14 points and 11 rebounds
- Scored 20 points on 8-for-10 shooting and grabbed six rebounds at Connecticut and grabbed 11 rebounds to go with eight points at Fresno State
- Scored 24 points (on 10-for-17 shooting) and grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds while blocking two shots against California
- Her 23 rebounds set a new Stanford single-game record, breaking Nicole Powell’s eight-year-old mark of 21
- Averaged 19.7 points and 10.0 rebounds while shooting 60.5 percent in the Pac-10 Tournament
- Scored 23 points, grabbed nine rebounds and passed out seven assists against Iowa
- She went for career-high 38 points with 16 boards against Oklahoma and posted double-double of 11 points and 13 rebounds against Connecticut.
Junior Year:
- Led team with 17.5 points per game and 58.6 shooting percentage while ranking second with 7.6 rebounds per game
- She missed three games due to injury (Nov. 19, Feb. 20, Feb. 24)
- She was a finalist for the Wade Trophy, Wooden Award, and Naismith Trophy and was also named to the All-Pac-10 Team and Pac-10 All-Defensive Team honorable mention
- Posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds at Washington, scored 20 points on 10-for-14 shooting, and grabbed eight rebounds at Washington State
- Scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds against UCLA
- Dished out 22 points on 9-of-12 shooting against UC Davis
- She also scored 22 points on 10-for-16 shooting against St. John’s
Senior Year:
- Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award winner and was also named to All-America Teams of Associated Press (First Team), WBCA, USBWA, and John R. Wooden Award as per Stanford Cardinal site
- Wade Trophy, Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy, and USBWA National Player of the Year finalist
- MVP of Fresno Regional and Pac-12 Tournament
- Pac-12 Player of the Year and named to All-Pac-12 First Team and All-Defensive Team honorable mention
- She became Stanford’s fourth (and the Pac-12’s eighth) member of the “2,000-Point/1,000-Rebound” Club against Oregon State on Jan. 7
- Ended her career in the top five of Stanford’s all-time categories of free throws attempted (718 – first), points scored (2,491 – second), field-goal percentage (58.3 – third), free throws made (555 – second), rebounds (1,226 – third), points per game (17.2 – fourth) and rebounds per game (8.5 – fourth)
- Set Stanford single-season records for points scored (809), points per game (22.5), free throws made (191), and attempted (230) … scored 33 points (14-of-19 shooting) with 18 rebounds against Gonzaga
- Scored 14 points against Old Dominion and tallied 22 points with eight rebounds at Connecticut.
International Career:
- Earned gold medal with USA Basketball World University Games Team in 2011
- Ranked second on the team in scoring (13.2 ppg), rebounding (5.7 RPG) and shooting percentage (65.3)
- Invited to USA Select Team camp in April 2010
- Won her second gold medal with USA Basketball as co-captain of the FIBA U19 World Championship Team in July 2008
- She was also a part of the USA Women’s U18 National Team, which captured gold with a perfect 5-0 performance at the FIBA Americas Championship in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in July 2008.
Nneka Ogwumike Net Worth 2024: How Much Is She Worth?
Nneka Ogwumike’s possible net worth is about $3.5 million in the year 2024. But there is no particular proof of her net worth on the internet. Majorly, it is just not the WNBA career that boosts the salaries of Nneka. She hails from an athletic family so the athletic apparels are already the loyal employers of the WNBA star. They have been pursuing and addressing their products through Nneka Ogwumike and her family for a long time.
Coming to the other income sources, Nneka Ogwumike has also got endorsements and brand deals that will be portrayed later in the following piece.
Nneka Ogwumike Salary: How Much Does She Earn in the WNBA?
Nneka Ogwumike was a dedicated player for the Los Angeles Sparks for a long time. She stayed committed to the team from 2012 to 2023. However, she joined the Seattle Storm in 2024. Initially, she joined the Sparks for a rookie contract whose value is about $75,000 annually. However, as soon as she completed the duration of her rookie contract, she got a hefty amount from the WNBA team for her impeccable on-court performance.
Year | Salary |
---|---|
2017 | $111,000 |
2018 | $113,000 |
2019 | $115,000 |
2020 | $117,000 |
2021 | $190,550 |
2022 | $196,267 |
2023 | $199,530 |
2024 | $204,500 |
The data in the above data hails from the Sportrac site which showcased the overall earnings of Nneka Ogwumike from WNBA. All in all, the WNBA forward has $1,246,847 as her total career earnings.
Nneka Ogwumike’s Endorsements and Brand Partnerships
Initially, Nneka Ogwumike was in touch with the Nike brand for shoe endorsement and deals just after her rookie season in 2012. She pursued her collaboration with the sports tycoon brand for a long time. However, she encountered another brand on her journey in the WNBA as she joined Adidas later. She continues to attend the events relating to the brand along with the major declarations and announcements.
Along with these big brands, she is also a part of Delta’s deal with the WNBA. Nneka also wants to serve her part in society and that’s why she confessed to WNBA during an interview, “We can look forward to me collaborating with different fashion brands, specifically Black and women-owned, and minority owned. I’m going to do better at hopefully creating my own personal content around brands that support me. I really am a fan of dressing in the brands that I am a consumer of.”
Nneka Ogwumike Family and Personal Life
Sisters and Family
Ogwumike is one of the most athletic families with three other members, with one being Chiney, who is also a WNBA player. Nneka and Chiney have now made history as arguably one of the most successful sister pairs in professional athletics, mostly due to their Nigerian heritage and a mutual love for basketball, which has been instrumental in their development and success.
Their bonds extend beyond what people see on the court, with them having very often collaborated on public service activities and media projects. The family’s lessons regarding education and discipline have proven vital in crafting successful careers.
Personal Relationships
People have been curious about Nneka Ogwumike’s personal life. While she’s clear that she’s single in public, fans seem to nag her about a possible wife, husband, or boyfriend. To date, there is no news about her love life, as she has kept her private life out of the limelight.
She is free to concentrate on her professional life and advocacy work without unnecessary distractions. Her commitment to privacy shows great professionalism and seriousness.
Nneka Ogwumike WNBA Stats and Career Achievements
Nneka Ogwumike has marked big numbers in her 13-year-long career at the WNBA. That’s why she was also head of the Players Association in the year 2016. It is not just the performance leadership but also the off-court vision that made her impact in the league.
Category | Career Total |
Games Played | 392 |
Points | 6,502 |
Rebounds | 2959 |
Assists | 797 |
Blocks | 242 |
Steals | 618 |
Career Highlights
- WNBA Champion (2016): Ogwumike played a pivotal role in leading the Los Angeles Sparks to a championship victory.
- WNBA MVP (2016): Her stellar performance during the season earned her the prestigious MVP title. Notably, she secured the championship with a buzzer-beater, a moment etched in WNBA history.
- 7x WNBA All-Star: Nneka Ogwumike has made a place for herself in the hearts of the WNBA fans with her impeccable attitude.
- WNBA Players Association President: Beyond her on-court achievements, Ogwumike has been an advocate for player rights and equity.
- Stanford’s Second All-Time Leading Scorer: During her collegiate career, Nneka established herself as one of the best players in Stanford’s history.
Her influence and contribution to the sport extend beyond her playing days. Holding the presidency of the WNBPA, she is instrumental in lobbying for better working conditions and salaries for athletes, thereby establishing her as a trailblazer.
Conclusion
It is a journey of proficiency, commitment, and resilience for Nneka Ogwumike. She has raised the bar from her glorious college career at Stanford to becoming one of the most illustrious athletes in the WNBA. Whether it’s through her staggering net worth, her position as a leader in the league, or her role in women’s basketball, Ogwumike still inspires fans from around the world.
Also Read: Who is Maddy Siegrist? A Look at Her Basketball Career
FAQs
What is Nneka Ogwumike’s WNBA salary?
In 2024, Nneka Ogwumike’s WNBA salary was $204,500.
What is Nneka Ogwumike’s weight?
Nneka Ogwumike’s weight is 190 lbs.
Is Nneka Ogwumike married?
No, Nneka Ogwumike is not married.
Is Nneka Ogwumike gay?
There is no information about the sexuality of Nneka Ogwumike.
How old is Nneka Ogwumike?
Nneka Ogwumike is 34 years old.
How tall is Nneka Ogwumike?
Nneka Ogwumike is 6 feet 2 inches tall.