What's Going On With The WNBA
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 08: Alyssa Thomas #25 of the Phoenix Mercury dribbles against the Las Vegas Aces in the second quarter of Game Three of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs finals at Mortgage Matchup Center on October 08, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) | Getty Images After leaving the Connecticut Sun for Phoenix one year ago, Alyssa Thomas is expected to return to the Mercury this season. She was a huge factor in bringing the team back to the WNBA Finals in 2025, and while the rest of the core may look different, Thomas is the centerpiece of this team.
While there are still no reports yet on whether Kahleah Copper will also return to Phoenix, Satou Sabally has already announced she will not re-sign with the Mercury. That breaks up the three-woman core Phoenix had going in 2025, but if Copper comes back, they can still run back most of that group.
Called the “triple-double queen” by fans, Thomas averaged 15.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.2 assists per game in 2025 for the Mercury. A mainstay in the MVP conversation, Thomas has come close to a WNBA championship many times in her career with both Connecticut and Phoenix, but has yet to reach that final goal. The plan will be for Phoenix to contend again this season.
Re-signing Thomas is a huge part of that plan, and now the Mercury will work to surround her with a winning roster. Right now, the Mercury have the 7th best odds to win the WNBA Championship on FanDuel, at +1600.
Nneka Ogwumike is headed back to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Ogwumike spent the first 12 seasons of her career in Los Angeles after she was drafted No. 1 by the team in 2012. She won the MVP in 2016 and helped the franchise win the WNBA championship that season.
The veteran forward posted on social media a 45-second video that showed her intentions to return to the Sparks, which her agent confirmed was accurate. Free agents can't sign until Saturday.
“It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon…” Ogwumike wrote in the post. The video showed highlights of her time in Los Angeles.
The 35-year-old Ogwumike averaged 18.3 points and 7.0 rebounds for Seattle last season — her second with the Storm.
It's been a busy offseason for Ogwumike. She presided over collective bargaining negotiations as president of the union and helped get a transformational new deal that saw average salaries rise nearly four-times what they were in the previous CBA.
The Sparks have a talented group to go with Ogwumike as the team gave the franchise tag to guard Kelsey Plum, who is also on the union's executive committee, as well as young star Cameron Brink.
This is the busiest offseason in WNBA history with 80% of the players in the league being free agents.
___
AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball
Sep 1, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) looks to pass away from a double team by Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (5) and guard Julie Allemand (20) during the second quarter at Climate Pledge Arena.LOS ANGELES -- California, here we come. Right back where we started from.
As always, ESPN's Chiney Ogwumike has the latest news on her older sister.
BREAKING: 10x WNBA All-Star and 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike intends to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks.
She previously played 12 seasons in LA and “is looking forward to returning home.”
There was even a video ready to go for her return.
It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon… pic.twitter.com/Da2xCDv4ux
— Nneka Ogwumike (@nnekaogwumike) April 10, 2026Previously spending two years in Seattle playing for the Storm and after all the balloons, Nneka Ogwumike is a Sparks legend that is coming back home. As her sister mentioned in that tweet, she spent a dozen seasons in Los Angeles.
She was the first pick overall in the 2012 draft and has numerous accolades, including being a 10-time all-star, 8-time all-NBA team, 7-time all-defensive team, 2012 Rookie of the Year, and 2016 Most Valuable Player. And she had one of the most iconic moments in history when she made the game-winning basket to secure the 2016 WNBA title for the Sparks.
Ogwumike left the Sparks after the 2023 season to go to the Storm in Seattle. She never slowed down her play, averaging 17.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in those two seasons she spent there.
With the Sparks seemingly losing Azurá Stevens to free agency, this is a huge pick-up for the team. Even in this stage of her career, Nneka Ogwumike can still affect the game in a big way.
And now she's going to do it again here in Los Angeles.
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY SportsNneka Ogwumike’s sister Chiney scoops bombshell Sparks reunion after Storm exit appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The WNBA offseason has already seen some exciting things go down, with Angel Reese being traded to the Atlanta Dream and Jackie Young being the first player given the new max extension. Now, Nneka Ogwumike has stepped in the spotlight, as she has decided to take her talents back to where it started for her, and her sister, Chiney, broke the news.
“BREAKING: 10x WNBA All-Star and 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike intends to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks. She previously played 12 seasons in LA and ‘is looking forward to returning home,'” Chiney wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Ogwumike visited several teams during this first week of free agency, and everyone thought she was going to the Minnesota Lynx, especially after seeing all the balloons during that visit.
It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon… pic.twitter.com/Da2xCDv4ux
— Nneka Ogwumike (@nnekaogwumike) April 10, 2026
It looks like in the end, Ogwumike wanted to go back to where she had most of the success in her career, and it’s a good fit for her. The Sparks currently have a core of Dearica Hamby, Kelsey Plum and Cameron Brink, and adding a player like Ogwumike is only going to make them better.
The Sparks could be making more moves in the coming days, as there have been rumors that they’re looking to trade Rickea Jackson to the Chicago Sky for Ariel Atkins.
As for the Seattle Storm, they’ll be losing a top player, and they could be losing more depending on how free agency goes. Ogwumike was with the Storm for two seasons and lost in the first round of the playoffs both times.
Ogwumike averaged 18.3 points and 7.0 rebounds last season.
Related: Why Rickea Jackson trade would be huge mistake for Sparks
Related: Kelsey Plum lands core qualifying offer from Sparks
Forward Nneka Ogwumike is returning to the Sparks after playing the past two seasons in Seattle. (Jeff Lewis / Associated Press)Nneka Ogwumike is coming home in a strong endorsement of the Sparks’ vow to succeed during the upcoming season.
Ogwumike, a 10-time WNBA All-Star, spent the first 12 seasons of her career with the Sparks after she was drafted No. 1 overall by the franchise in 2012.
But Ogwumike left two seasons ago as the Sparks were struggling to win and signed with a Seattle Storm team with talent capable of pushing for a championship, a female coach and state-of-the-art facilities.
While she was gone, the Sparks replaced coach Curt Miller with Lynne Roberts, traded for All-Star guard Kelsey Plum and broke ground on a new practice facility in El Segundo.
Ogwumike posted a 45-second video on social media Friday morning that indicated her intention to return to the Sparks. Free agents are free to sign with new teams Saturday, when the Sparks are expected to officially announce her return.
“It was always ‘see you later,’ now I’ll see you soon,” Ogwumike wrote in the post.
It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon… pic.twitter.com/Da2xCDv4ux
— Nneka Ogwumike (@nnekaogwumike) April 10, 2026She did not post any contract terms, and they have yet to be reported.
Chiney Ogwumike, an ESPN analyst, longtime Spark and Nneka's sister, broke the news on X, posting: "10x WNBA All-Star and 2016 MVP Nneka Ogwumike intends to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks.
"She previously played 12 seasons in LA and 'is looking forward to returning home.'"
The Sparks last made the playoffs in 2020, and while they showed some potential last year, going 21-23 but fizzling out in the second half of the season, adding the 35-year-old veteran bolsters their push to take a big step forward into the playoff mix.
Adding the appeal of some of the talent already on their roster and a new $150-million practice facility scheduled to open next year, the Sparks are positioning themselves for a return to their winning ways.
The Sparks are expected to trade 2024 first-round pick Rickea Jackson to Chicago this weekend for guard Ariel Atkins, according to reports. Atkins, who turns 30 in July, is a two-time All-Star and five-time all-defensive player who had an important role in the Washington Mystics’ 2019 championship.
Sparks players cheer as WNBA President Lisa Borders hands the championship trophy to team owner Magic Johnson in 2016. Nneka Ogwumike was on the team that won the Sparks' most recent title. (Hannah Foslien / Getty Images)That leaves the Sparks with just three other players — Plum, who signed a core contract, Cameron Brink and Sania Feagin — under contract. The Sparks extended qualifying offers to Rae Burrell, Julie Vanloo and Alissa Pili this week, essentially retaining their rights.
But Ogwumike is the kind of player whom the Sparks could build a competitive campaign around, especially playing alongside Brink in a potent frontcourt. With Plum and likely Atkins in the fold, the Sparks could use an upgraded ball-handler, unless they go with Plum at point guard and focus on bringing in another forward.
Forward Azura Stevens announced on social media she is not returning. The Sparks also lost starting point guard Julie Allemand to Toronto in the expansion draft last week.
Forward Dearica Hamby remains unsigned. She started 84 games in the last two seasons and was an All-Star in 2024 but likely is behind Ogwumike and Brink on the Sparks’ depth chart and might push for a bigger role with another team.
Read more:Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike: Not one but two bold ballers
The Sparks don’t have a first-round draft pick, so they will need to pursue talent on the robust free-agent market or make another trade to bolster their backcourt. If they elect to go with Plum at point guard, they could start Burrell as a small forward after her strong offseason in the Unrivaled three-on-three league, but they still need more depth.
During the next seven days, the Sparks will have a chance to make moves to support a veteran core of Ogwumike and Plum alongside a rising star in Brink as they push to build a team that can make the playoffs.
Last season in Seattle, Ogwumike averaged 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals. Her departure was somewhat expected after Noelle Quinn was fired as coach following the Storm’s first-round playoff exit.
The president of the players association, Ogwumike played an essential role in the historic collective bargaining agreement the league and players agreed to in March, which led to the salary cap being raised to $7 million per team.
Nneka Ogwumike, photographed in downtown Los Angeles in 2019, is returning to the Sparks after two seasons in Seattle. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)On Wednesday, speculation was rampant that Ogwumike might end up in Minnesota after a balloon company shared a video of a balloon sign that read: “Welcome Nneka,” but the forward clarified on Instagram that it was just a greeting welcoming her to a meeting with the Lynx, not an indication she was signing there.
With the majority of the league’s players free agents, teams have an opportunity to reinvent themselves this offseason. It seems likely that Seattle, with Skylar Diggins-Smith and Gabby Williams as free agents, could take a step back.
The forecast for expansion clubs Portland and Toronto, meanwhile, won’t take shape until they finish building their rosters.
The Sparks gave up the most points per game last season, 88.2, a flaw they hope to address with Ogwumike, the expected addition of Atkins and a full season of Brink, who has been limited by injuries to 34 games in her first two seasons after being drafted No. 2 in 2024.
The Sparks promised fans they would complete their rebuild and become title contenders again. Ogwumike’s return suggests she believes in the plan.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Phoenix Mercury star Alyssa Thomas is finalizing a deal to stay in Phoenix, first reported by Andscape's Sean Hurd.
Thomas led the Mercury to the 2025 WNBA Finals as the point-forward, while finishing third in MVP voting. The 33-year-old nearly averaged a triple-double, with 15.4 points, a league-high 9.2 assists and 8.8 rebounds per game.
Thomas' 357 assists in 2025 surpassed Caitlin Clark's league-wide single-season assist record (337) set in 2024. She also set a franchise single-season rebounding record (340).
The Mercury created a Big 3 surrounding guard Kahleah Copper when it acquired Thomas and forward Satou Sabally in a four-team trade in February 2025.
Thomas has winning experience, but has never won a WNBA title. In her first 11 years in Connecticut, she led the Sun to eight consecutive playoff appearances and two WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022.
Thomas is the first of the Big 3 to return to the Mercury. Sabally is exploring other options and will likely not return.
The Mercury extended qualifying offers to reserved free agents point guard Monique Akoa Makani, forward Natasha Mack, forward Kathryn Westbeld and forward Kiana Williams on April 7.
Free agents will be able to officially sign on Saturday, April 11. Training camp is set to begin on April 19.
Reach the reporter or send tips for stories at jenna.ortiz@arizonarepublic.com, as well as @jennarortiz on X.
Catch the best high school sports coverage in the state. Sign up for Azcentral Preps Now. And be sure to subscribe to our daily sports newsletters so you don't miss a thing.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Phoenix Mercury star expected to return for 2026 season
Caitlin Clark gets the best $1.4 million Fever free agent news originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Caitlin Clark must be smiling on Friday.
Her Indiana Fever got the best possible $1.4 million news in WNBA free agency.
The scoop: Kelsey Mitchell is signing a one-year, $1.4 million supermax contract to return to Indiana, according to Chiney Ogwumike.
Clark and the Fever get her most talented backcourt mate back for another year.
Mitchell has signed the new maximum salary in the WNBA after the new collective bargaining agreement, too, so it's an awesome day for the star guard from Ohio State.
MORE: Live analysis of the biggest WNBA free agent signings and trades
While Clark missed much of the 2025 season with injury, Mitchell proved just how much of a superstar she can be.
She averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game and finished fifth in league MVP voting.
Mitchell also dished out 3.4 assists per game and snatched 0.9 steals per contest.
She shot a blistering 39.4% from 3-point range on high volume, and she has shot 39% or better from deep in each of the past four seasons.
When Clark has been on the floor with Mitchell, they've proven capable of co-existing at a high level. They're both impressive shooters and playmakers, and they both have the basketball IQ to move off the ball when the other one has it.
Mitchell was part of a massive class of top-tier WNBA free agents, so it wasn't a given that she would be the big-money signing coming to Indiana this offseason, but in the end, the Fever have latched on to the familiar.
Given the talent level that Mitchell brings to join Clark and company, it could work out quite nicely for all involved.
More WNBA news:Tempo make guard history with 2 7-figure guard signingsLexie Hull, Fever take major step in free agencyCould Chennedy Carter return to the WNBA?Sophie Cunningham has a new role for 2026 WNBA season
The WNBA’s free-agent negotiation period began on Wednesday, and signings can be made official on Saturday. Ogwumike also visited Minnesota, the source said, but ultimately she landed on a return to the Sparks as she enters her 15th season.
The veteran forward played the first 12 seasons of her career with Los Angeles but moved to Seattle in free agency ahead of the 2024 season. When Ogwumike announced her departure from the franchise in early 2024, she said that she hoped it wasn’t goodbye but instead “see you later.” That later has now come.
Ogwumike has been one of the most consistent players in the league over the last decade, averaging 30 minutes a game during her career. Last season, while playing 31 minutes a game, she averaged 18 points, seven rebounds and two assists while shooting 51 percent from the floor.
During her 12 seasons in Los Angeles, Ogwumike played under six different coaches as the franchise struggled to find consistency. Even so, in her fifth season, the Sparks won the 2016 WNBA championship and Ogwumike was the league MVP. She averaged career bests in points, rebounds, assists and shooting percentage that year.
Entering 2026, Ogwumike will be a particularly important piece of Los Angeles’ puzzle under second-year coach Lynne Roberts. The Sparks had already cored guard Kelsey Plum, and without a first-round draft pick, it seems as though the direction of this franchise will skew more veteran. That could include 12-year veteran Dearica Hamby, who has played the last three seasons in Los Angeles, and potentially eight-year veteran Ariel Atkins, who reportedly could be traded to the Sparks in exchange for Rickea Jackson, who’s entering her third year in the league.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
Los Angeles Sparks, WNBA
2026 The Athletic Media Company