Nneka Ogwumike
Photo Credit: Nailah Howze
Eleven All-Star selections. A WNBA championship. A league MVP. Nneka Ogwumike built a career that belongs among the very best.
But some of her greatest contributions to the game won’t appear in a stat line. As four-time elected President of the WNBA Players Association, Nneka helped lead more than 175 players around a shared vision for what their league, and their profession, could become.
In 2026, that leadership helped deliver a transformational seven-year Collective Bargaining Agreement that fundamentally changed how WNBA players are compensated, including the league’s first true revenue-sharing model and single largest salary increase from one CBA to the next in the history of professional sports, men or women.
And its impact went far beyond pay. Stronger protections for pregnant players. Expanded family planning support. New recognition payments and health benefits for retired players. Changes designed not simply for the players competing today, but for every player who comes next.
Because re-writing the game isn’t only about what you accomplish in your own moment. It’s about what becomes possible because you were there.
Nneka’s legacy extends far beyond a Hall of Fame career. Her leadership has laid a stronger foundation for the next generation and expanded what is possible for every player who follows.
For her remarkable career and lasting impact on the WNBA, the Women’s Sports Foundation is proud to present Nneka Ogwumike with the Re-Writing the Game Award.