EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsOn a night when the WNBA was celebrating a rematch of the league's first game, Nneka Ogwumike provided a fantastic finish. The Los Angeles Sparks beat the New York Liberty 98-97 on Ogwumike's 3-pointer with less than a second left, sending the capacity crowd of 18,043 into a cheering frenzy at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.Ogwumike was drafted No. 1 by the Sparks in 2012 and was the season MVP in 2016 when Los Angeles won its third WNBA title. She left Los Angeles to play the 2024 and 2025 seasons for the Seattle Storm but returned to the Sparks this year. Ogwumike also is the longtime players' association president and has been key in the negotiations for the past two WNBA collective bargaining agreements, in 2020 and earlier this year."It's emotional seeing all these legends in the building," Ogwumike told ESPN after the game as she wiped away tears. "People that didn't get paid their value, and they're still coming here and supporting us. I'm so grateful."The Sparks and Liberty, two of the original eight WNBA teams, faced off in the inaugural game on June 21, 1997. It was 29 years ago, but this is the WNBA's 30th anniversary season, hence Sunday's celebration that included several former Sparks and Liberty players in attendance. Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, who spent her 12-season WNBA career with the Sparks, winning two league titles, thanked the fans at halftime for their support over the last three decades.That first game was played at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California, and Leslie had 16 points and 14 rebounds in the Sparks' 67-57 loss to Rebecca Lobo and the Liberty. Lobo, who had 16 points and 6 rebounds in that first game, was the analyst on the ESPN broadcast Sunday night.For much of Sunday's game, it appeared the Liberty would prevail again. They were up by 12 at halftime and led by as much as 17 points in the third quarter. But the Sparks began to steadily chip away at the lead.Ogwumike tied the game at 93-93 with a 3-pointer with 1:27 left in the game. Then after the Liberty had gone up 96-93, the Sparks' Rae Burrell made two free throws with 10.3 seconds left. Breanna Stewart was then fouled and made one of two free throws, giving the Liberty a 97-95 lead. That set the stage for Los Angeles guard Erica Wheeler finding Ogwumike behind the 3-point line. She swished her second trey of the night, finishing with a game-high 24 points."Everyone in our locker room wouldn't have picked another person to hit that shot," Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said of Ogwumike, who turned 7 years old less than two weeks after the WNBA's inaugural game was played."On a night like tonight, where we're honoring the legacy of not only the Sparks but the league, what Nneka has done - especially getting that new CBA done - it's powerful when you think about it. That's what sports can do is bring out those moments. You couldn't have scripted it any better."
