Current Nigerian-Born and Nigerian-Heritage Players in the WNBA
The women of Nigerian birth and descent starring in the WNBA, with their teams, family roots and a weekly scores tracker through the playoffs and every season.
8players tracked
3in the 2026 playoffs
2D’Tigress players
1farewell season
Photo: Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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Week of 21 to 27 September 2026 · checked 29 September 2026
This week: a farewell and the playoffs
The 2026 regular season closed with Nneka Ogwumike’s final WNBA game, and three players of Nigerian descent reached the playoffs with Dallas and Washington. Here is how their week went.
A dash means the figure is still being confirmed. Iriafen had a double-double (15 points, 14 rebounds); Ogunbowale went 6 of 6 from the free-throw line. Round 1 is best of three; Game 2s are on 29 and 30 September 2026.
Date
Player
Game and result
PTS
REB
AST
25 Sep
Nneka Ogwumike
Sparks 75, Valkyries 76 (her final WNBA game)
17
15
5
27 Sep
Michaela Onyenwere
Mystics 77, Dream 92 (playoffs, Round 1, Game 1)
8
4
0
27 Sep
Kiki Iriafen
Mystics 77, Dream 92 (playoffs, Round 1, Game 1)
15
14
-
27 Sep
Arike Ogunbowale
Wings 80, Valkyries 104 (playoffs, Round 1, Game 1)
10
-
4
Next update: week of 5 October 2026 (Round 1 results and semi-finals). The WNBA Finals start on 17 October 2026. Big performances also appear in our African Sports News.
Ranked by profile · checked 29 September 2026
The Nigerian stars of the WNBA
Averages are per game for the 2026 regular season, which ended on 25 September. The league grew to 15 teams in 2026 with the Toronto Tempo and the Portland Fire.
1Photo: John Mac, CC BY-SA 4.0 (WNBA All-Star Game 2026), via Wikimedia Commons
Nneka Ogwumike
Los Angeles Sparks
Forward · 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Nigerian roots: Igbo parents; Nneka means “mother is supreme”. She tried to switch to Nigeria but lost a third FIBA appeal in 2025.
17.3PTS
9.0REB
3.1AST
2026, 43 games
Retired after the 2026 season: 2016 MVP and champion, 11-time All-Star. Final game 25 September: 17 points, 15 rebounds.
2Photo: Lorie Shaull, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Arike Ogunbowale
Dallas Wings
Guard · 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Nigerian roots: Yoruba father, Gregory Ogunbowale, who served in the Nigerian military.
15.2PTS
3.1REB
3.2AST
2026, 40 games
Season high 32 points against Indiana on 20 August 2026; two-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP.
3Photo: John Mac, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kiki Iriafen
Washington Mystics
Forward · 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Nigerian roots: Nigerian-American family; Okikiola is a Yoruba name meaning “famous wealth”. Plays for the USA.
15.3PTS
9.6REB
1.5AST
2026, 41 games
No. 4 pick in 2025 and an All-Star in both of her first two seasons.
4Photo: John Mac, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Michaela Onyenwere
Washington Mystics
Forward · 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Nigerian roots: Nigerian-American; her middle name, Nne, is Igbo for “mother”.
9.0PTS
2.6REB
1.7AST
2026, 40 games
2021 WNBA Rookie of the Year; also an assistant coach on UCLA’s 2026 NCAA title team.
5Photo: Zafer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ezi Magbegor
Seattle Storm
Forward / Centre · 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Nigerian roots: both parents are Isoko from Delta State. Plays for Australia.
6.9PTS
4.0REB
1.8AST
2026, 14 games
Two-time Olympian for Australia, named after her Nigerian paternal grandmother.
6Photo: Zafer, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Temi Fagbenle
Toronto Tempo
Forward · 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Nigerian roots: Yoruba Nigerian family; grew up in London and captains Great Britain.
5.9PTS
3.4REB
1.0AST
2026, 25 games
A founding player of the expansion Toronto Tempo in 2026; best game 19 points and 9 rebounds.
7Photo: Ailura, CC BY-SA 3.0 AT (Nigeria v Hungary, World Cup 2026), via Wikimedia Commons
Amy Okonkwo
Portland Fire
Forward · 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Nigerian roots: Igbo middle name Nnenna; a D’Tigress regular.
5.2PTS
1.2REB
0.2AST
2026 with Atlanta and Portland, 5 games
Tokyo 2020 Olympian, 2023 AfroBasket MVP and a member of Nigeria’s 2026 World Cup squad.
8Photo: Zafer, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Nigeria, World Cup 2026), via Wikimedia Commons
Elizabeth Balogun
New York Liberty (development)
Guard / Forward · 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Nigerian roots:born in Lagos; a D’Tigress forward at the 2026 World Cup.
2026: on the Liberty roster, no regular-season games
McDonald’s All-American and 2019 ACC Rookie of the Year at Georgia Tech.
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D’Tigress and the road to the WNBA
Many D’Tigress players, including Promise Amukamara, Ezinne Kalu and Murjanatu Musa, play in Europe and could not win a WNBA roster spot in 2026. Chiney Ogwumike has not played since 2023 and now works for ESPN. College stars such as Oluchi Okananwa and Uche Izoje are next in line.
SitesNG tracks 8 players of Nigerian birth or descent on 2026 WNBA rosters: Nneka Ogwumike, Arike Ogunbowale, Kiki Iriafen, Michaela Onyenwere, Ezi Magbegor, Temi Fagbenle, Amy Okonkwo and Elizabeth Balogun. Balogun was born in Lagos; Okonkwo and Balogun play for D’Tigress.
Is Nneka Ogwumike retiring?
Yes. Nneka Ogwumike announced on 19 August 2026 that 2026 would be her final WNBA season. She averaged 17.3 points and 9.0 rebounds in 43 games and finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds in her last game on 25 September 2026.
Is Arike Ogunbowale Nigerian?
Arike Ogunbowale was born in Milwaukee to a Nigerian father, Gregory Ogunbowale, who served in the Nigerian military, and is of Yoruba heritage. She averaged 15.2 points for the Dallas Wings in 2026.
Why doesn’t Nneka Ogwumike play for Nigeria?
She applied to represent Nigeria, her parents’ country, but FIBA ruled that she had played too long for the USA; her third appeal was rejected in 2025.
Which WNBA teams have Nigerian players in the 2026 playoffs?
The Washington Mystics (Kiki Iriafen and Michaela Onyenwere) and the Dallas Wings (Arike Ogunbowale). In Game 1 of Round 1, Iriafen had 15 points and 14 rebounds.
How did D’Tigress do at the 2026 World Cup?
Nigeria went out in the group stage of the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin after defeats to South Korea, Hungary and France, a year after winning a record fifth straight AfroBasket title in 2025.
