LOS ANGELES -- As been mentioned, Los Angeles Sparks legend Nneka Ogwumike has called it a career in the WNBA. The accolades are bottomless and everyone knows what she has done as President of the Players' Union. She announced her retirement in an interview for the Boardroom with Taylor Rooks on August 19th.
We talked to many players about Ogwumike since then. Some have shared stories about her and some have talked about what she meant to the league.
Here are a collection of quotes and tributes from players and coaches about Nneka Ogwumike in the last few weeks.
CAMERON BRINK (Sparks teammate)
"She's meant so much. She's meant the world. She's seriously one of my favorite people. And just the wisdom she brings every single day, calmness, just her presence is something that I'll always cherish."
"She's given me so much advice that I think it's just knowing to stay true to myself and just trusting my gut."
ARIEL ATKINS (Sparks teammate)
"I think Nneka is who she is. And everybody kind of sees it from afar. But seeing it up close as a teammate and a friend is different. She is who she says she is. It's not a fluke. It's not something for the Internet. It ain't nothing just for the pictures. She is who she is. She's consistent. And she's one of the best teammates I've had. And I'm going to be really sad not to be playing with her next year. But I know she's doing what's best for her."
RAE BURRELL (Sparks teammate)
"She was my vet my rookie season. I've been able to see what a pro looks like, what an all-star looks like, what a good human being looks like, a leader... the list just goes on with her. I think just being able to be in her presence and play alongside her has just really been such an honor to be able to do. She's going to go down in history. She'll probably have a freaking statue outside this place as well. So just being able to learn from her, not even only from what she's talked to me about, but just watching her, the consistency that she has, just the professionalism across the board. And like I said, just consistency.
"She's put so many years into the Sparks, and she's literally paved the way. And then on top of that, (she) has changed the game even just with our pay. She was one of the ones in the CBA meetings every single week during the offseason.
"You can't even count the amount of times that she's just put into this program and into this league and into women's sports in general and just women across the world, honestly. She's one of a kind. And it's just a blessing and honor to have these last few games with her and be able to start my career with her and then be there for the end of her career."
ERICA WHEELER (Sparks teammate)
"Man, I don't want her to retire.
"Every time I think about it, I get emotional because you all know, everybody knows, me and her are probably the most close on the team. But I also respect where she's at in her life and her career. And I can see that she's ready. She's ready to be done. And that's what makes me more happy than anything because it's on her own terms. It's not for something else.
"But it still makes me sad in a selfish way. I think people forget that she's playing Project B. So it won't be the last time we see her play basketball. So that makes me feel a little bit good. But even still, she's a super special human being. Forget the basketball player. And it's a lot of parts of the world that you all don't get to see that I get to see because I'm close to her. And she's private. So for me, I can't believe it, honestly, because I thought she was going to play at least two more years. I asked her to tell me, but she didn't until later on. But, no, man, I'm happy for her. She's going now how she wants to go out."
LYNNE ROBERTS (Sparks coach)
"It's hard to articulate all that she's done. She has a presence to her. There's gravity to when she speaks. You see it on the court but in the locker room, she's just steady, reasonable, competitive, holds people accountable, but does it in a way that everybody listens. She makes everybody better, and she does it with, as I said before, this combination of confidence in who she is and how she does things but a humility of how do I make this team better? What can I do to make the team better? How do I make my teammates better? And so that kind of balance is unbelievable."
TONIE MORGAN (Sparks teammate)
"First, she's an amazing person. Obviously, we know she's a great player but she's an amazing person. She's took me under her wing even when I first came in and she's just been amazing to all of us and just sharing her wisdom with everybody anytime she can even on the sidelines, baselines, whenever she can. She's been very helpful for me in my development and so I'm very grateful for her."
JIHYUN PARK (through her translator; Sparks teammate)
"It's a huge honor to have shared her last season together. She gives all the younger players a really good bet, so she gives them a lot of advice and helps out a lot but just watching her attack her day-to-day as a professional is very inspiring, and she learned a lot from that."
CHANCE GRAY (Sparks teammate)
"She's meant a lot. She's a good mentor. She's a good role model. Just the way she prepares. She's a pro through and through and I'm so blessed that I got to witness that my rookie year."
AALIYAH NYE (Sparks teammate)
"I've learned a lot from Nneka. She's a great leader. She's always coaching us in practice. And one special memory I have with her is on Draft Night. I was working out in the morning and I actually seen Nneka in the gym. It was my first time meeting her and I told her I was there for the draft. And she just gave me encouraging words. So that's something that I'll remember forever. And I appreciate her for just introducing herself and coming to talk to me that day."
SHYANNE SELLERS (Sparks teammate)
"I know I've only been here a week but I've watched Nneka my entire life. Just grew up watching her in the W. So I'm super excited for her. But I know the league is definitely going to change without her in it but she also left it in a better place than she found it. So just super grateful for her and her wisdom. I'm excited to see what she does."
TA'NIYA LATSON (Aces guard; Sparks teammate first half of the season)
"It's such a sad thing. I was just watching the last game, and I was looking at... watching Nneka, and I was like, oh my gosh, she's really not gonna be in the league. I remember, I always tell her I grew up watching her. I grew up sitting in front of my TV, crisscross applesauce, watching the Sparks play and Nneka going off and doing what she did. It's a bittersweet moment, but I know Nneka, as a person, she's a beautiful person inside and out. I know she's not done completely with basketball so I hope to see her on the sideline or somewhere. Or probably the next commissioner. So, yeah, she's such a great vet and I'm forever a fan.
"She just has walking aura. She's just a beautiful human being inside and out and it was a pleasure to be her teammate in my rookie year."
ANGEL REESE (Dream forward)
"I'm so happy for her. She looks like she can have about 10 more years in her career. She's obviously been phenomenal for our league. She's fought for us behind the scenes. I know her career has been amazing for 15 years and me being able to be a part of three is phenomenal. But she's brought so much into all of us. It means so much for her to fight for us, to fight for what's right, and fight for the things that we deserve. She's seen the league 15 years ago and now to be able to see where it is now, she's one of the big reasons (for) it. So I'm really happy for her. I'm sad to see her go but to be able to walk away on your own terms is really good. And I know she's happy."
ALLISHA GRAY (Dream guard)
"Nneka is legendary! Every encounter I had with Nneka, she's been extremely nice. She's a great person. So it's sad to see her go but I'm definitely happy for her and what she has in store for our future."
GEORGIA AMOORE (Mystics guard)
"She is just the pinnacle. She is the WNBA. Everything that she does, every interaction I've ever had with her has been so pleasant.
"Matter of fact, when I tore my ACL, she was one of the first people to reach out to me. As a leader, that's what you want. I know she's like a leader of like the (Players' Association) and whatnot but she's like a leader of every single person in the W. I was in the W for three days and she's out here texting me saying like how sorry she is and whatnot but she's just... you can't even describe the impact she's had. 15 years of just greatness. We're going to miss her but she's incredible. I literally can't find the words about how just she personifies to be like a strong woman who stands on business but also has such value in what she says, how she says things, what issues she wants to battle and fight for. She is the W."
VERONICA BURTON (Valkyries guard)
"A legend of the game. What she has been able to do for us outside of the court, you know with the CBA, her being the President of our Union... she does so much for us. So really grateful I got the chance to even be in the league while she was in it and play against her. Just grateful."
KIKI IRIAFEN (Mystics forward)
"Yeah, she's a legend. She's amazing. One, her just being a Nigerian and I see a lot of myself in her. So she's definitely been a role model in that aspect and everything that she's done off the court being super vocal, being a leader, negotiating this historical CBA. And then just as a basketball player, like legend. I'm from Los Angeles, always saw Nneka on TV when I thought about the Sparks. Then she also went to Stanford. So definitely has been such a great role model to me. Also (as a) friend, someone who is always pouring into me. She does that to a lot of players in the league which I think is tremendous. Someone of her caliber to do that. But I want to give her flowers. Like she is an incredible incredible incredible player. So yeah, super special."
KARLIE SAMUELSON (Fire guard and former Sparks teammate)
"Everybody knows who Nneka is as a person and a player. Playing with Nneka, she's such a calm presence. I could literally come off any pick and roll, just throw it up, and she gets it. But more than that, it was just the sisterhood of Stanford and playing with her and Chiney (Nneka's sister) and she made me feel really valued as a player and a person. Especially as a lot of people in this league, when you're in and out, you kind of, not lose yourself, but lose maybe your value as a basketball player. And to me, she just solidified that for me, and I'm so happy for her in this, in her career, and just what's next for her.
"She's as steady as it comes. I'm so grateful to have shared the court with her for so many years."
BECKY HAMMON (Aces coach)
"Her fingerprints are all over this league. Not just the player that she's been on the court and her winning championship DNA that she's had but also her fingerprints will be of future generations of this league because of her work with the Players' Union and the CBA. I think she's done an absolute wonderful job leading the Players' Union. When I first came into the league... well, came back, I should say, as a coach, I'm sitting in league meetings and you're listening to a lot of different people talk and this and I can tell you when Nneka walked in the room, because there's a moment where the Players' Union and their reps come in and they're sitting there with all the head coaches and the GMs and officials with the W...
"She's somebody that when she spoke, I sat up and listened. She's just super well-spoken. I respect her thoughts and opinions greatly. She's just been a powerhouse for this league on and off the court. So I can't give that woman enough flowers."
Sporting Tribune writer Micaela Begue and John W. Davis of the Southern California Newsgroup contributed to this article.