TORRANCE \u2014 After 15 seasons, Sparks all-time leading scorer Nneka Ogwumike is three games away from retiring from the WNBA.<\/p>\n
Ogwumike is also less than 24 hours from celebrating franchise legend Lisa Leslie, a three-time league MVP who played for Los Angeles from 1997-2009 and won consecutive WNBA championships in 2001 and 2002, who is honored with a statue outside Crypto.com Arena Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n
Ogwumike said, \u201cit just makes sense\u201d that Leslie will be the first Spark to be memorialized outside of what was previously known as Staples Center.<\/p>\n
\u201cLisa, she came in early in my career and provided me mentorship,\u201d Ogwumike said at the team\u2019s practice facility in Torrance Saturday afternoon. \u201cBeing able to have that Sparks family connection and understand what she was able to do with her time with the Sparks and doing my best to uphold that has given us an opportunity to also develop an almost like a family relationship, a very surprising sisterhood being able to be close with Lisa in that way so I\u2019m happy to be here for that moment for her.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Sparks second-year coach Lynne Roberts, Leslie is the original Spark.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe is one of the original ones that put professional women\u2019s basketball on the map,\u201d \u00a0Roberts said.<\/p>\n
Ogwumike, an 11-time All-Star and 2016 WNBA MVP, is averaging 17.2 points, 8.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists this season and ranks fourth on the league\u2019s all-time points list.<\/p>\n
Ogwumike is also seven points away from scoring 8,000 career points in the WNBA. She will likely pass that mark in her penultimate home against on Sunday against the Portland Fire.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just come in every day and do my job,\u201d Ogwumike continued. \u201cI\u2019ve been playing a long time, so I feel like that\u2019s what 8,000 points means. I\u2019m just glad that I\u2019m healthy in this season of my life and I want to finish strong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rae Burrell for Most Improved Player?<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Sparks fifth-year guard Rae Burrell, who is averaging a career-high 14.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists on 45.9% shooting from the field and 37.3% from beyond the arc, is being pitched by the team as a candidate for the league\u2019s Most Improved Player award.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it means a lot,\u201d Burrell said. \u201cIt\u2019s good to get that recognition of the work that you put in. I\u2019m happy that they\u2019re showcasing that. It\u2019s not an easy thing to do, especially, I feel like, in my position, amongst the conversations that have been had with the most improved players, I think that I was kind of put in one of the harder positions of being like a fifth option or what it is and just working my way to be in those conversations, so I\u2019m proud of myself. I\u2019m happy the team is showcasing that and giving me my flowers with that as well. I\u2019m just happy to be in the conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Burrell, a first-year starter, had a career-high of 7.5 points last season.<\/p>\n
Ogwumike believes Burrell has a strong case for MIP.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe\u2019s come in and had to occupy a lot of different spaces and hold a lot of different responsibilities, and she\u2019s worn them well,\u201d Ogwumike explained. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen that her game has improved with her stepping up to the plate.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you just look at it on paper,\u201d Roberts added, \u201cyou can\u2019t deny it. Every aspect of her game is improved. The role that she has taken on for our team, particularly after KP left, having to be that attacking player that can get to the hoop, her shooting is really good. She\u2019s had a tremendous year.\u201d<\/p>\n