> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Nneka Ogwumike Leaving Storm, Skylar Diggins May Follow - URL: https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/nneka-ogwumike-leaving-storm-skylar-diggins-may-follow/ - Published: 2026-04-10T05:54:25.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-08T05:55:59.000Z - Author: Connor Benintendi - Tags: News, Analysis, Storm, Nneka Ogwumike, Skylar Diggins, Sonia Raman, Noelle Quinn \[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="4991"\] ![ Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) is pictured during a game against the Chicago Sky at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images ](https://storage.ghost.io/c/1d/f2/1df2f77b-83dd-4bc0-a6d2-6d1bb5df89a3/content/images/2026/10/seattle-storm-forward-nneka-ogwumike--283-29-is-pictured-during-a-game-against-the-chicago-sky-at-climate-pledge-arena--mandatory-credit-3a-stephen-brashear-imagn-images-format-original.jpg) Seattle Storm forward Nneka Ogwumike (3) is pictured during a game against the Chicago Sky at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images \[/caption\] Veteran forward and unrestricted free agent Nneka Ogwumike will not be returning to the Seattle Storm for the 2026 season and is [receiving strong interest from the Los Angeles Sparks](https://x.com/alexaphilippou/status/2042417553369149630?s=20&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) in free agency, per ESPN’s Alexa Philippou. Ogwumike confirmed her departure from the Storm with a farewell post to the franchise on social media. She has also met with the Minnesota Lynx, per Philippou. Before joining the Storm, Ogwumike spent the first 12 seasons of her career with the Sparks and won an MVP in 2016 — the same year she led the franchise to a WNBA championship. It could be an incoming reunion. The Storm may be losing multiple of their premier veterans, as point guard Skylar Diggins is also [reportedly in talks with the Chicago Sky](https://x.com/robertawbb/status/2042422565269094459?s=20&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com), per Beta Basket’s Roberta F. Rodrigues. Diggins and Ogwumike were two of the best players on an otherwise inconsistent 2025 Storm team. Both are now 35 years old, but appeared to have plenty of basketball left in them last season. If each departs, the previous Big 3 of Ogwumike, Diggins and Jewell Lloyd, assembled in 2024, will be completely dissolved. > 💚🫶🏾💛 [pic.twitter.com/gIRYM9d6qK](https://t.co/gIRYM9d6qK?ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com)— Nneka Ogwumike (@nnekaogwumike) [April 10, 2026](https://twitter.com/nnekaogwumike/status/2042415614833410242?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=emeraldcityspectrum.com) ### **A look back** Ogwumike, who is also the president of the WNBPA and helped orchestrate the landmark new CBA with the league, was the Storm's most consistent player in 2025\. She was a major reason they even reached the playoffs despite a catastrophic six-game losing streak to begin August. The former league MVP scored at least 10 points in 40 of Seattle’s 44 regular-season games and had at least 20 points in nearly half of them. Ogwumike finished the season averaging 18.3 points (1st on Storm), 7.0 rebounds (1st), 2.3 assists (5th) and 1.1 blocks (5th). She finished sixth in MVP voting and was at one point the favorite before the Storm stumbled into the finish line of the regular season. Diggins, though not completely out the door yet, wouldn’t be a surprising departure considering both her and Ogwumike were loyal to former head coach Noelle Quinn. She helped set the tone for the Storm with her ferocity and averaged 15.5 points (2nd on Storm), 2.5 rebounds (7th), 6.0 assists (1st) and 1.2 steals (T-3rd). Ogwumike and Diggins are each still All-Star-caliber WNBA players. But they may not fit into the Storm’s plans moving forward. ### **What it means for Storm** It’s not surprising to see the old regime falling apart after Quinn was fired. The Storm underachieved both seasons — including when Lloyd was still in town — and a rebuild seemed likely for Seattle as they possess the No. 3 pick in the WNBA Draft and have a rising star in Dominique Malonga. The confusing side remains the [decision to core Ezi Magbegor](https://www.emeraldcityspectrum.com/home/storm-core-ezi-magbegor-extend-reserved-qualifying-offers-2-others). A presumed rookie guard, selected with the No. 3 pick, would have to make an immediate impact for the Storm to put that much money into the frontcourt — especially with Magbegor’s play declining in 2025. If the Storm are going for a complete reset behind Malonga, why not actually start anew? This is the question the Storm must answer over the coming days of free agency after potentially losing their top two players. Regardless, it does make sense to try and get younger, and Ogwumike and Diggins weren’t contributing to that agenda. Raman likely wants the defensive prowess of Magbegor, her best trait, and took advantage of their right to extend the core designation. It’s either that or they plan to sign-and-trade the former All-Star. New head coach Sonia Raman has no ties to the past regime outside of the players already under contract. As good as Ogwumike and Diggins are, they have to plan for the future. With more than two-thirds of the league entering unrestricted free agency, it also provides Raman with ample opportunity to build the team exactly how she wants. That’s a chance she may never have again now that the money is flowing to a much greater degree.