LOS ANGELES, CA – The month of May continues to be a busy one for Los Angeles Sparks center Nneka Ogwumike. In addition to kicking off another WNBA season, appearing on the cover of SLAM Magazine and on a movie poster for ‘Space Jam: A New Legacy,’ she will now appear in the fourth season of “The Shop: Uninterrupted.”
Created by executive producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter, the HBO series has had some tremendous guests in the sports, entertainment, and political world through its first three seasons.
This fourth season will be no different as Ogwumike will be appearing alongside some elite company. In addition to James and Carter, she will be talking shop with hip hop legend and successful entrepreneur Jay-Z, Latino rapper Bad Bunny, and Nike executive Paul Rivera.
While Ogwumike isn’t the first WNBA star to appear on the show, it’s always a significant moment to have a female athlete appearing on a big platform like this. It has a major impact on creating awareness for the WNBA and the issues women, whether an athlete or not, are going through.
“Any big platform that a woman can represent on is huge and to be in such honored company, I think it’s a really big deal,” Ogwumike said. “I think it shows, not just the representation, but then it gives a voice to the women involved in sport. It can be me on ‘The Shop,’ Aj’a (Wilson) in a Swedish music video, it can be Chiney (Ogwumike) broadcasting day-in, day out even after practice. It just brings representation we need to see.”
“These are voices and faces that people may not be exposed to otherwise,” Ogwumike continued. “Not just for us to be seen but to be heard is really huge. I’m hoping it continues to grow both individually and collectively for women in sport and women in general as we look to progress.”
Sparks head coach/GM Derek Fisher also commented on the impact Ogwumike appearing on a popular series like “The Shop” can have and how he believes she belongs with that group.
“Nneka is clearly one of one in terms of how she’s continued to transcend the WNBA and women’s basketball to being a female voice, a leader, an activist, and a change agent,” Fisher said. “I think it’s fitting that she’s on the highest and biggest platforms that you can find out there, because it’s where she belongs. I’m sure she could fit right in on ‘The Shop’ with the rest of the guys. I’m looking forward to seeing the episode.”
Ogwumike continues to be a leader for not only female athletes, but women everywhere. She’s a symbol of how women can make an impact and lead in various fields and her activity is clearly turning the heads of her male counterparts.
It will be interesting to hear her insight and opinions alongside these other icons on “The Shop.”
“The Shop: Uninterrupted” will appear for its fourth season on Friday, May 28 on HBO and HBO Max.
