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GLENDALE — Sparks halfway Amanda Zahui B. was with Chiney Ogwumike this play erstwhile she got the quality that her older sister, Nneka Ogwumike, was honored arsenic a portion of the WNBA’s “W25” – a database of the league’s 25 “greatest and astir influential players.”
“As soon arsenic I got the email from (Sparks PR director) Eli (Horowitz), I conscionable texted her like, ‘I screamed!’” Zahui B. said aft signifier Tuesday. “I was like: ‘This the sickest thing, I’m playing with 1 of the apical 25 hoops players each time.’”
So portion the Sparks person had to sorb immoderate gut punches this play – injuries aplenty, losing streaks, and Nneka Ogwumike’s Team USA snub among them – it felt bully to soak up immoderate bully news.
“When we talked astir it yesterday, it’s conscionable like, successful bid to marque that database there’s a level of excellence that you person to prolong for a agelong time,” Sparks Coach Derek Fisher said. “That’s not conscionable having a bully twelvemonth present oregon there. To beryllium recognized arsenic 1 of the champion players of each time, it’s not easy.
“Nneka feels honored to beryllium connected the list,” Fisher added. “And conscionable similar emblematic Nneka, she’s gonna peek her caput up to say, ‘Thank you and it’s an honor,’ and past spell backmost to work, and truthful what’s what we’re each gonna do.”
To Fisher’s point, Ogwumike’s connection erstwhile the database was released Sunday was gracious and to the point: “I americium truthful grateful to person my sanction listed amongst past and contiguous legends who’ve pioneered the W implicit these astonishing 25 years. As an jock connected the court, I’m arrogant of my vocation and anticipation to proceed to permission a bequest of greatness. What I’ve been capable to lend to the crippled on with the phenomenal women of this league done generations is 1 of my top accomplishments.”
With 4 regular-season games remaining and a playoff berth inactive imaginable – the 10-18 Sparks are conscionable a half-game retired of eighth spot contempt riding a five-game losing streak into their crippled against first-place Connecticut connected Thursday astatine Staples Center – Zahui B. said Nneka Ogwumike’s enactment is helping her teammates stay focused connected near- and semipermanent goals.
“She speaks the truth,” Zahui B said. “She is truthful passionate that you privation to marque it hap for her. No substance what is being asked of us, you privation to marque it hap for her, and that conscionable shows what benignant of idiosyncratic she is due to the fact that she gives her each to america each azygous day. She is, with me, 1 of the archetypal players that comes successful each day; she does her Pilates astatine 7 successful the greeting and stretches and past goes retired and shoots and past goes 110% astatine practice, past stays after, shoots.
“I mean, it’s truthful corny, but it’s specified a blessing to spot it with my ain eyes and being a portion of it, and I’m conscionable truly grateful.”
The postulation of stars included connected the W25 besides included past Sparks greats Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker (who is present a subordinate of the Chicago Sky). Also: Seimone Augustus (who played for L.A. successful 2020 and present is simply a Sparks adjunct coach); Ticha Penicheiro (2010-11); Cappie Pondexter (2018) and Tina Thompson (2009-11).
CHINEY OGWUMIKE A ‘MAYBE’
After recurring genu soreness kept Chiney Ogwumike from playing successful the Sparks’ past 3 games, the prima guardant could beryllium a game-time determination earlier extremity disconnected Thursday, Fisher said.
Ogwumike’s ailing genu has kept her retired of each but six games this season. Health concerns besides caused the 29-year-old, two-time All-Star and ESPN expert and radio-show big to opt retired of playing successful the WNBA bubble successful 2020. Fisher said the Sparks’ younger Ogwumike remains anxious to instrumentality this season, though the Sparks privation to guarantee she does it safely.
“She’s doing much idiosyncratic worldly each day, and we’re fortunate to person a mates courts present (at Academy USA successful Glendale), truthful portion we’re doing radical things, she’s getting immoderate enactment connected the different court,” Fisher said, noting that Tuesday “she did much than she did yesterday, truthful hopefully we tin get her retired determination tomorrow. And past we inactive person until Thursday nighttime astatine 7:30.
“We look to person a small spot of a amended grip this clip connected however to negociate her erstwhile she is backmost and retired determination successful presumption of the minutes, the stretches of minutes, however we negociate it,” helium added. “But we’re inactive conscionable trying to beryllium arsenic liable arsenic possible. She wants to beryllium retired determination badly, we would emotion to enactment her retired there, but subordinate wellness is conscionable ever has to travel earlier immoderate short-term goals and objectives, truthful conscionable trying to respect Chiney that mode and each of our players whenever we can.”
𝘼 𝙇𝙀𝙂𝘼𝘾𝙔 𝙊𝙁 𝙂𝙍𝙀𝘼𝙏𝙉𝙀𝙎𝙎
With the unveiling of the 25 top WNBA players of each time, Nneka was lone the subordinate of the 72 nominees to conscionable each 7 criteria for the list.
Read afloat merchandise below!@nnekaogwumike | #RootedInLA
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) September 5, 2021
English (US) ·