Chiney Ogwumike announces multiyear deal with Los Angeles Sparks

Chiney Ogwumike has signed a multiyear deal to stay with the Los Angeles Sparks, she announced Thursday.

Ogwumike opted out of the 2020 WNBA season because she felt the compacted schedule in the league's bubble wouldn't be the best for her physically, given past injuries that cost her the 2015 and 2017 seasons.

Ogwumike, who works for ESPN as a commentator, was the No. 1 pick out of Stanford in 2014, and was WNBA rookie of the year for Connecticut. She played with the Sun her first three seasons before being traded to Los Angeles, where she joined her older sister, fellow forward Nneka Ogwumike.

Chiney played the 2019 season with the Sparks, averaging 9.6 points and 5.8 rebounds.

"I am so excited to get back on the court with my squad," Ogwumike wrote in a post on her website. "I have a new workout partner and teammate in [free-agent signee] Amanda Zahui, and we are full-steam ahead getting ready for training camp."

Nneka Ogwumike has the core designation for the Sparks and is expected to sign soon.

In other WNBA roster moves Thursday, the Dallas Wings waived center Astou Ndour, who was acquired via trade with Chicago before the 2020 season. Ndour averaged 3.5 points and 2.9 rebounds last season.

If she is not picked up on the waiver wire, the Wings will still be responsible for the last two years of her contract, which do have a buyout.