STANFORD, Calif. – For the third consecutive season, former Stanford star Nneka Ogwumike has been selected to participate in the WNBA All-Star Game when the league announced reserves at halftime of Tuesday’s contest between the Los Angeles Sparks and Phoenix Mercury on ESPN2.
Ogwumike has played 10 games this season and is averaging 17.9 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 37.0 minutes per outing for the Los Angeles Sparks. Entering Tuesday, the 2012 WNBA Rookie of the Year is fourth in the league in scoring and first in rebounds. A 2014 All-WNBA Second Team honoree, she was previously an All-Star in both 2013 and 2014.
Sparks F @Nnemkadi30 was voted as a reserve for the @boostmobile @WNBA All-Star. Congrats Nneka! #WeAreLA #GoSparks pic.twitter.com/VM4iAj5QA6
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LA_Sparks) July 22, 2015
On July 6, Ogwumike was named Western Conference Player of the Week for the fourth time in her career after ranking second in the conference in scoring (24.0 ppg), while pacing the West in rebounding (12.3 rpg) and tying for second in steals (1.67 spg).
During the week she helped lead the Sparks to a 2-1 record with consecutive victories over San Antonio and Tulsa for the team’s first two wins of the season.
Ogwumike opened that week with a season-high 27 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and two steals in an 86-81 win over San Antonio. The following night she paced the Sparks to another win, 98-95 over Tulsa, with her second double-double of the season, contributing 19 points and 10 rebounds. She finished the week with 26 points, a season-high 19 rebounds and two assists in the Sparks’ 94-91 overtime loss to Phoenix.
In October, Ogwumike helped the United States to the gold at the 2014 FIBA World Championships, becoming the fourth Stanford player to win World Championship gold, joining Jayne Appel (2010), Jennifer Azzi (1998 and 1990) and Sonja Henning (1990).
A newcomer to the women’s senior national team, Ogwumike averaged 7.5 points and 4.8 rebounds in 16.5 minutes per contest. She had her best performance at the event in a preliminary-round meeting with Angola, scoring 18 points on 7-of-8 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds as the United States won by a record 75 points.
My daily inspiration! My role model! Congrats @Nnemkadi30 on another All-Star selection! So happy, proud of you!!! ❤️🙏🏾⭐️
— Chiney Ogwumike (@Chiney321) July 22, 2015
In selecting the reserves, the 12 WNBA head coaches voted for six players within their own conference: two backcourt players, three frontcourt players, and a player from either position. Coaches were not permitted to vote for players on their own team.
Boost Mobile WNBA All-Star 2015, featuring the Eastern Conference All-Stars against the Western Conference All-Stars at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., will be nationally televised by ABC on Saturday, July 25 at 12:30 p.m. PT.