Nneka Ogwumike wants Sparks to be more

LOS ANGELES >> Nneka Ogwumike made sure to make one thing clear during the WNBA free agency period.

Ogwumike, 32, said she wanted her vision for the Sparks to be in alignment with the team's front office and coaching staff.

“Something that is lasting, something that is unequivocal, something that is non-negotiable when it comes to what people think about when they think about the Sparks,” Ogwumike began. “When I describe that I mean obviously the Sparks are a basketball team, so a team that wins and a team that wins with greatness, with competitiveness.

“A team that gets people excited about basketball and sport. A team that is culturally relevant, a team that is changing things for women's sports and also a team that really leans into what it means to be in Los Angeles and playing sports in Los Angeles.”

Ogwumike's vision includes the Sparks being more than just a basketball team.

“Creating an organization that builds its players on and off the court and post-retirement,” Ogwumike continued. “So seeing an organization that is through and through WNBA, through and through women, through and through empowerment, through and through women empowerment and advocacy so that's what I see for the Sparks. I want us to become the North Star.”

She also wanted to be recruited during her unrestricted free agency, in which she could have signed a new contract with any of the other 11 teams in the league. The 2016 WNBA MVP said she appreciated that new Sparks general manager Karen Bryant and new coach Curt Miller flew to Houston and met with her face-toface, which made a distinct impression on her.

“Honoring the (free agency) process is really important to me,” Ogwumike said.

Ultimately, Ogwumike chose to return to Los Angeles ahead of her 12th season in the WNBA, and before officially re-signing on Feb. 24. Two days prior, her younger sister Chiney Ogwumike, 30, also re-signed with the Sparks.

Bryant said once Nneka was on board, she became the organization's top recruiter.

Ogwumike said she focused her recruiting efforts on players who wanted to be in Los Angeles. She likened the process to talking with friends, in part because of her leadership role with the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA).

“It's quite seamless (recruiting other players) because I'm the President of the (players) union,” Ogwumike explained.

Last season, Ogwumike was named to her seventh WNBA All-Star team and was a second team AllWNBA selection. It was the fifth time in her career she's been first or second team. Ogwumike started and played in 34 of 36 games. She averaged 18.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 34.1 minutes per game.