“One Man’s Opinion” by Gordon Curvey
Looking for stories to do right here on “Music Inner City News Magazine” and decided to do this story about sisters Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike.
Two ladies making moves on the basketball court and off. I am a big fan of both of them so let’s mention a few things about the ladies. Because in my opinion the ladies are tremendous role models for young ladies.
The sisters parents moved from Nigeria to the U.S. and attended Weber State. The sisters dad whose name is Peter, obtained a job in Houston. Their mom has been in the field of education for 30 years. She is now an assistant school district superintendent.
Nneka and Chiney have said even being born and raised in the Houston area, they always felt connected to their Nigerian heritage.
As young girls they started out in gymnastics. But friends started to say to them that they are tall and they should try playing hoops instead. And that is what they did. And they have not looked back. A real smart move.
Chiney who is younger than Nneka started basketball around the age of 9 and then Nneka started to play too. They went on the play basketball together at Stanford and then got drafted in the WNBA. Wow you know their parents were happy.
Nneka who is 33, and now is playing right here in Seattle for the Storm is a eight time All Star and is serving her third term as president of the players union.
And Chiney recently served on President Joe Biden advisory council on African Diaspora Engagement in United States. This is why I say the sisters are making moves on the court and off the court. And they are huge role models too.
While at Stanford by the way, Nneka played in 145 games and scored 2, 491 points and Chiney played the same amount of games and scored 2, 737 points.
The Los Angeles Sparks selected Nneka as the #1 pick in the 2012 WNBA draft. Chiney was the #1 pick in the draft in 2014 by the Connecticut Sun. She joined the Sparks in 2019. Nneka the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2012 and MVP in 2016.
Not only that she led negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement in 2020, helping to obtain pay raises, fully paid maternity leaves and better travel accommodations.
She also speaks on various panels about equal pay and more issues. Chiney is a two time WNBA All-Star who was named Rookie of the Year in 2014. and AP Comeback Player of the Year in 2016 and if you follow the NBA, yes the NBA you see her on ESPN and programs like “NBA Today”.
Where she does a great job talking NBA hoops and even WNBA hoops. In my STRONG opinion she should be the host of the program instead of Malika Andrews. This is my opinion.
I say this because of Andrews negative treatment of African American men that has got her negative headlines in the past. But truthfully, Chiney is just plain good and a person who talks issues and as a host. She just is readers.
It makes me proud to do a story on these two role models. They are both highly intelligent and beautiful too I may add!!
Comments: gcurvey@yahoo.com