Nnemkadi ogwumike biography of george

Nneka's Story

If my name were different, my career might be different.

There’s a barrier to its pronunciation. Most people don’t even try to say it or ask me how. When people do try, I get anxious correcting their pronunciation.

For me, as a professional basketball player in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), announcers, coaches, analysts, and fans have to say my name quite a bit—but I think they avoid it when they can.

Nnemkadi ogwumike biography of george hamilton

Sometimes it feels like announcers replace my highlights with those of another player, simply because their name is easier to pronounce.

It may seem like a small inconvenience, but it’s the little questions that don’t get asked that matter.

My name is Nnemkadi Ogwumike.

This is how my name is pronounced: