Nneka Ogwumike is the current President of the WNBA?s Player Union, player for the Los Angeles Sparks, and a human that we admire very much. While scrolling through youtube last week, I came across an interview between Ogwumike and The Daily Show?s Trevor Noah in which she speaks about her journey to the WNBA and the implications of her work towards securing the WNBA?s new contract that would nearly double the maximum salary and include paid family leave. In her interview with Trevor Noah, Ogwumike tells Noah that WNBA players typically work year-round, usually traveling overseas to find better pay than they receive during their normal season in the U.S. Ogwumike then speaks about how WNBA players are typically faced with the emotional burden of deciding when to have children based on the limitations of their current contract. Therefore, this new contract has the potential to disrupt the system and help so many women.
Magic Johnson has referred to Ogwumike as ?The smartest player in the WNBA?. We agree that Nneka Ogwumike is a brilliant advocate for women in sports and we are so excited to continue to follow her journey as an advocate, president, and player.
By GIL Team Leader, Jess McKay