Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike cleared another WNBA milestone Thursday night, surpassing Tamika Catchings for fifth on the all-time scoring list.
Ogwumike entered Thursday's game against the Phoenix Mercury 10 points away from the record. She quickly got there in the second quarter, scoring her ninth and 10th points on a midrange jumper. After finishing with 12 points, Ogwumike now has 7,383 for her career.
"She amazes me every day," teammate Cameron Brink said after the Sparks' 97-88 win. "Her ability to lead and be a super caring human, but also just a killer on the court. We're super proud of her."
Tina Thompson is fourth on the all-time scoring list with 7,488 points, and DeWanna Bonner, who plays for the Mercury, is third with 7,871 points. Tina Charles (8,396) and Diana Taurasi (10,646) are second and first, respectively.
Ogwumike and Bonner are the only active players in the top five.
"Her being here is a full-circle moment," Dearica Hamby said. "To break that record, being back in L.A., I'm sure it means a lot to her. Being able to play beside her is cool."
Ogwumike returned to Los Angeles this season after two years with the Seattle Storm. Before her stint in Seattle, Ogwumike played the first 12 years of her career with the Sparks, who drafted her with the first pick in 2012.
Ogwumike won Rookie of the Year that season and then won MVP and a championship with the Sparks in 2016. Now, she hopes to help lead Los Angeles back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020.
"I want to be great," Ogwumike told ESPN last week. "It's not enough to just be healthy. I want to win."