Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike won the WNBA’s Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award for a record fifth time on Tuesday 13 October, capping her final season in the league. She received 38 of 74 votes from a national media panel, well clear of New York’s Rebecca Allen on seven, the WNBA announced.
The Nneka Ogwumike sportsmanship award win was her second in a row, after she also won in 2025 with Seattle. The honour adds one more record to a 15-season career that ended in September.
A Record Fifth Nneka Ogwumike Sportsmanship Award
Ogwumike first won the award in 2019 and then claimed it in 2020 and 2021 with the Sparks. Her 2025 and 2026 wins give her five, two more than anyone else in league history.
Before her, Sue Bird and Tamika Catchings held the record with three each, according to the award’s winners list. Kelsey Mitchell of the Indiana Fever finished third in this year’s vote with six.
The award recognises ethical behaviour, fair play and integrity on the court, the WNBA said. In other words, it rewards the kind of leadership Ogwumike has shown off it as well.
Who Was Kim Perrot?
The award honours Kim Perrot, a point guard who helped the Houston Comets win the first two WNBA titles in 1997 and 1998. She died of cancer in August 1999, aged 32.
The league first presented the award in 1997, when it went to Zheng Haixia of the Sparks. Fittingly, Ogwumike’s final win also came in a Sparks jersey.
Her Final Season in Los Angeles
Ogwumike announced her return to the Sparks in April, after two seasons in Seattle, FOX 11 reported. She had spent her first 12 seasons in Los Angeles.
She then averaged 17.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and a career-high 3.1 assists in 43 games, the WNBA said. She also passed Lisa Leslie to become the Sparks’ all-time leading scorer, according to the Sparks.
However, the team struggled around her. The Sparks finished 16–28 and missed the playoffs for a sixth straight season, Yahoo Sports reported. In her final game on 24 September, she still posted 17 points and 15 rebounds in a 76–75 defeat to Golden State.
A Career in Numbers
Ogwumike announced in August that 2026 would be her last season. “I’ve learned there’s power in knowing when to walk away,” she said, according to the WNBA.
Her numbers explain why she ranks among the greats:
- No. 1 overall pick and Rookie of the Year in 2012
- WNBA MVP and champion in 2016
- 11 All-Star selections and a place in the W25 list of the league’s greatest players
- 8,047 career points, fourth in WNBA history
- The only player with 7,000-plus points and a career field-goal percentage of at least 50%
The Union Leader Who Changed the Pay Scale
Ogwumike has served as president of the players’ union, the WNBPA, since 2016. She led talks on the 2020 deal, which raised total compensation by 53% and added paid maternity leave.
This year, she also helped deliver a new agreement that runs through 2032. She announced in March that players had approved it, TSN reported, and the deal lifted the salary cap from $1.5m to $7m.
As a result, today’s players earn far more than when she started. Read our guide to the highest-paid female athletes for how pay is changing across women’s sport.
Nigerian Roots and the D’Tigress Dream
Ogwumike, who grew up in Texas, is the daughter of Nigerian parents and has spoken often about her Igbo heritage. She wanted to play for Nigeria’s D’Tigress, but FIBA blocked her three times.
In 2021, FIBA cited her long involvement with Team USA, ESPN reported. A third request, covering the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics, failed in October 2025, and she said she would not appeal again, Bold Sports reported.
“I gave it an honest try, so I feel fine about it,” she said at the time. For Nigerian fans, it remains one of basketball’s great what-ifs.
What Comes Next for Ogwumike
In the short term, she wants a break. Asked by NPR what is next, she replied, “Rest. Rest. Rest,” according to NPR.
Even so, she is not done playing. She plans to play in the new Project B league from January, where players also receive equity, Sports Illustrated reported.
Read our story on Ogwumike’s retirement, and our WNBA Finals 2026 preview as the season reaches its climax.
What is your favourite Nneka Ogwumike moment? Share it in the comments.
