Nneka Ogwumike

Neither the Seattle Storm nor the Indiana Fever knew it quite at the time, but on May 22, 2024, the stage was shared between teams whose seasons would ultimately be defined by their ability to turn stagnant starts into fast finishes. Both literally and physically, Nneka Ogwumike used her first win in the green-and-yellow threads to prove that even in Year 13, the task remains obtainable. Showing no signs of struggle following an ankle injury that sidelined her in back-to-back games, Ogwumike hustles for a loose ball, recognizing the opportunity at a breakaway score if she can spring free of Kristy Wallace and Temi Fagbenle at each of her sides. Simply wanting it more, Ogwumike turns on the turbos before banking in a layup, extending Seattle’s second quarter edge. The historic, sellout crowd of 18,343 were left with a memorable outburst from the 2016 WNBA Most Valuable Player, who turned in 22 points (on 10-of-15 shooting), nine rebounds, three assists, and one 3-pointer, key in influencing a competitive victory.