Chineye Ogwumike is a Nigerian-American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). On September 27, 2023 she was appointed as a presidential adviser on sports and media.
She was recently appointed to serve in the Biden-Harris administration and work on issues such as youth sports participation, sports development, and media representation.
Ogwumike was born in Tomball, Texas, to Nigerian parents. She began playing basketball at a young age and went on to have a stellar career at Stanford University. She was a two-time All-American and helped Stanford win three Pac-12 championships.
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Ogwumike was drafted first overall by the Connecticut Sun in the 2014 WNBA Draft. She was named to the WNBA All-Rookie Team and helped the Sun reach the WNBA Finals. In 2015, Ogwumike was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks. She has been a key player for the Sparks ever since, helping them reach the WNBA Finals in 2016 and 2017.
In addition to her basketball career, Ogwumike is also a successful media personality. She is a co-host of the ESPN Radio show Chiney & Golic Jr., and she has also appeared on ESPN’s First Take and SportsCenter. In 2020, Ogwumike became the first Black woman to host a national, daily sports-talk radio show when she joined Chiney; Golic Jr.
Ogwumike is a trailblazer in both sports and media. She is a role model for young athletes and journalists everywhere. She is also a strong advocate for social justice and equality.
