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    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    Press Play with Madeleine Brand

    LA Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike on raising the WNBA's profile

    The WNBA kicked off its 2018 season last month. The LA Sparks are considered one of the top teams in the league. However, players can’t make a living in the WNBA.

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    By Madeleine Brand • Jun 12, 2018 • 1 min read

    The WNBA kicked off its 2018 season last month. The LA Sparks are considered one of the top teams in the league. However, players can’t make a living in the WNBA. 2016 League MVP Nneka Ogwumike is a power forward for the LA Sparks and says the pay is so low that many women play abroad in the off-season. She herself plays in Russia in the winter.

    Nneka Ogwumike at KCRW. Photo by Amy Ta.

    The full episode

    4 of 5
    What it takes to make a living in the WNBA
    1. 0:00Asylum claims get tougher for domestic violence survivors
    2. 7:21Gang violence in El Salvador: the realities on the ground
    3. 14:06Anthony Bourdain's influence on food TV shows
    4. 26:06LA Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike on raising the WNBA's profileYou’re reading this
    5. 41:20World Cup preview
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Madeleine Brand

      Host, 'Press Play'

    • KCRW placeholder

      Sarah Sweeney

      Vice President of Talk Programming, KCRW

    • KCRW placeholder

      Michell Eloy

      Former Producer/Line Editor, Press Play

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Amy Ta

      Digital News & Culture Editor

    • KCRW placeholder

      Nneka Ogwumike

      LA Sparks

      News

    The full episode

    4 of 5
    What it takes to make a living in the WNBA
    1. 0:00Asylum claims get tougher for domestic violence survivors
    2. 7:21Gang violence in El Salvador: the realities on the ground
    3. 14:06Anthony Bourdain's influence on food TV shows
    4. 26:06LA Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike on raising the WNBA's profileYou’re reading this
    5. 41:20World Cup preview
    Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand