Sparks forward Dearica Hamby drives to the basket as Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike defends during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Azurá Stevens, left, is fouled by the Seattle Storm’s Jordan Horston during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Kia Nurse, center, drives between Seattle Storm defenders Nneka Ogwumike, left, and Jewell Loyd during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike looks on during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. Ogwumike had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six steals to help the Storm beat her former team, 89-83. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Sparks guard Aari McDonald, left, looks to pass the ball as the Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, center, defends during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, left, drives to the basket as Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike defends during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Seattle Storm’s Jordan Horston drives as the Sparks’ Kia Nurse defends during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Azurá Stevens grabs a rebound in front of the Seattle Storm’s Victoria Vivians, center, as the Sparks’ Layshia Clarendon looks on during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd handles the ball during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Rae Burrell, left, passes the ball as the Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith defends during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, back, knocks the ball away from the Sparks’ Aari McDonald during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Rae Burrell, right, blocks a shot by the Seattle Storm’s Victoria Vivians during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Rae Burrell, right, blocks a shot by the Seattle Storm’s Victoria Vivians during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Former Sparks star Lisa Leslie looks on from a courtside seat during the team’s game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Kia Nurse, left, is fouled by the Seattle Storm’s Ezi Magbegor during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike grabs a rebound during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. Ogwumike had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six steals to help the Storm beat her former team, 89-83. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike looks on during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. Ogwumike had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six steals to help the Storm beat her former team, 89-83. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Layshia Clarendon, right, tries to steal the ball from the Seattle Storm’s Mercedes Russell during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, left, drives as the Sparks’ Rae Burrell defends during the first half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Sparks coach Curt Miller looks on from the sideline during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith goes up for a shot as the Sparks’ Rae Burrell, left, and Azurá Stevens, right, defend during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson shoots from outside during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, left, is fouled by Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, right, during the third quarter on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. Ogwumike had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six steals to help the Storm beat her former team, 89-83. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith drives to the basket as the Sparks’ Rae Burrell defends during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Rae Burrell handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Sparks rookie forward Rickea Jackson takes a shot as the Seattle Storm’s Jordan Horston defends during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd drives to the basket as Sparks forward Dearica Hamby defends during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Rae Burrell is fouled by the Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Azurá Stevens celebrates after scoring as Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike, left, looks on during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Seattle Storm’s Jewell Loyd, center, is fouled by the Sparks’ Rae Burrell, left, during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
The Sparks’ Layshia Clarendon handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Layshia Clarendon, left, reacts to a play next to rookie Rickea Jackson during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Seattle Storm’s Skylar Diggins-Smith, right, knocks the ball away from the Sparks’ Azurá Stevens during the second half on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike takes a shot during the first half of their game against the Sparks on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. Ogwumike had 23 points, 10 rebounds and six steals to help the Storm beat her former team, 89-83. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Sparks forward Dearica Hamby handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Azura Stevens, center, looks to shoot during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Layshia Clarendon handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks’ Azura Stevens handles the ball during the second half of their game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
The Sparks and the Seattle Storm observe a moment of silence for the passing of Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, the father of Lakers great Kobe Bryant and a former Sparks coach, before their game on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena. (Photo by David Crane, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
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LOS ANGELES — In Nneka Ogwumike’s first game in Los Angeles as a member of the Seattle Storm, the longtime Sparks star helped lead the Storm to an 89-83 victory over her former team on Tuesday afternoon at Crypto.com Arena.
Ogwumike, the 2016 league MVP and 2016 WNBA champion with the Sparks, finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and a career-high six steals in the victory. The Storm’s Jewell Loyd led all scorers with 30 points and contributed six rebounds and seven assists. Loyd and Ogwumike combined to score 20 of Seattle’s 25 fourth-quarter points.
“I’m just happy to feel the love,” said Ogwumike, who signed with Seattle (17-8) as a free agent in February but said she didn’t have a “circle on this game.”
“I’m not someone who is externally motivated and so I’m treating this like another game,” she added.
Azurá Stevens, in her fourth game back from a back injury, led the Sparks (6-18) with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Rae Burrell tied her career-high with 18 points and made five 3-pointers, rookie Rickea Jackson added 16 points and Dearica Hamby had 15 points and nine rebounds.
When Hamby and Stevens were asked about what they learned from Oguwmike in their year overlap last season, they both replied with the same thing: professionalism.
“She’s one of the greatest players to have ever played in the league,” Stevens said. “I watched how she approached each day and attacked each day. She’s the true essence of a person and professional.”
Hamby talked about how Ogwumike supported her throughout her transition and dealing with the fallout from the trade from the Las Vegas Aces.
“She was just super supportive and always showed up no matter how she was feeling,” Hamby said. “Just having her for that bridge year for me was really important to what I’m doing now.”
Sparks coach Curt Miller coached Ogwumike last year in his first season with the Sparks, but she was also one of the first players he coached in the WNBA as an assistant coach on the 2015 Sparks team.
“Nneka was a big part of my first year and why I had such a strong appreciation and desire that if this head coaching job ever opened up and they had interest in me, that it was a really special franchise and Nneka was such a big part of that,” Miller said.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Sparks started slow. After going scoreless for nearly five minutes in the first quarter, Hamby got the Sparks on the board with a layup. However, second-year wing Rae Burrell injected life into the team by making two 3-pointers before the quarter was over.
Burrell finished the game 5 for 7 from behind the arc, made key plays on the defensive end and was active on the boards.
“I know she a little rough start to her career with an injury,” Stevens said. “We all saw what she was capable of, so to see her now reaping the benefits of all the work she’s put in, it’s awesome.”
But the veteran Storm held up after the Sparks’ run. The hosts held Seattle scoreless for nearly five minutes to begin the second quarter, but the Storm still managed to hold a 41-37 lead at halftime.
The Sparks fell behind by double-digits in the third quarter, but Burrell hit two more 3-pointers and Stevens put the Sparks ahead 73-71 on a 3-pointer with 6:29 left in the fourth – their first lead since the second quarter. Loyd, who finished 8 for 18 from the field and 11 for 16 from the free-throw line, responded with a three-point play as she and Ogwumike combined to score 11 straight points for Seattle.
The Storm lead reached nine points when Ogwumike made a driving layup with 2:20 left in the fourth to move past Lisa Leslie for 12th on the WNBA career scoring list. Ogwumike finished 9 for 17 from the field and 5 for 6 from the foul line.
After Stevens’ go-ahead basket, the Sparks didn’t make their next field goal until an Aari McDonald 3-pointer with 52.1 seconds left. They got within 84-80 when Hamby made one of two free throws with 19.1 seconds left, but Loyd and Ogwumike combined to go 5 for 6 from the line the rest of the way to close out the win.
Jordan Horston, who scored eight of Seattle’s first 15 points, finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. Skylar Diggins-Smith was held to eight points on 2-of-12 shooting.
OLYMPIC BREAK
Tuesday was the final game for the struggling Sparks before the Olympic break. Hamby (USA 3×3), Stephanie Talbot (Australia), Li Yueru (China) and Miller (U.S. women’s national team) will all participate in the Paris Games.
The Sparks, who sit in 10th place in the 12-team league, won’t play again until Aug. 15 against the New York Liberty. Heading into the month-long break, Miller recognized the growth of the team so far this season.
“I’m proud of our growth and proud of our play,” Miller said. “We’ve come a long way since May basketball with a young team.”
Elite is ELITE 😈
Jewell Loyd and Nneka Ogwumike put on a show in a stat stuffing performance against the Sparks
Loyd erupted for 30 PTS, 6 REB, 7 AST
Ogwumike moved into 12th all-time in scoring with this thrilling stat line 23 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST, 6 STLS
#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/emdmPD0jIZ— WNBA (@WNBA) July 16, 2024
When it's your game, it's your game 🤷♀️
Rae Burrell has made a career-high 5 made threes and is up to 18 PTS
📲 Live on X pic.twitter.com/sA2VRIioLB
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 16, 2024
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