Erica Ogwumike facts for kids
| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 26, 1997 Cypress, Texas |
| Nationality | American / Nigerian |
| High school | Cypress Woods (Cypress, Texas) |
| Listed height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Career information | |
| College |
|
| NBA Draft | 2020 / Round: 3 / Pick: 26th overall |
| Selected by the New York Liberty | |
| Pro career | 2020–present |
Erica Erinma Ogwumike, born on September 26, 1997, is a talented Nigerian American basketball player. She is known for her skills on the court as a Point guard. Before becoming a professional, she played college basketball for the Rice Owls.
Beyond her athletic career, Erica is also pursuing a career in medicine. She is currently a doctor, specializing in dermatology. In July 2020, she made the exciting decision to play for the Nigeria women's national basketball team. She represented Nigeria in the Tokyo Olympics.
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High School Basketball Achievements
Erica Ogwumike played high school basketball at Cypress Woods High School in Cypress, Texas. She was an amazing player and set many records for her school. She scored a total of 2,227 points during her high school career.
She also grabbed 1,141 rebounds and made 440 steals. These impressive numbers were achieved over 143 games she played for the school team. Her performance made her a standout player in high school basketball.
College Basketball Journey
Erica began her college basketball journey at Pepperdine University. During her first year, known as her freshman season, she showed great skill. She averaged 18.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game.
In 2016, Erica decided to transfer to Rice University. Due to college transfer rules, she was not able to play during the 2016–17 season. However, she returned to the court for the Rice Owls in her sophomore season in 2017. She continued to perform well, averaging 17.9 points and 9.3 rebounds per game.
Her junior year saw her average 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds. For her senior year, she played as a graduate student. She had an outstanding season, averaging 19 points and 10.3 rebounds.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing in the WNBA
On April 17, 2020, Erica Ogwumike was chosen in the 2020 WNBA draft. The New York Liberty picked her as the 26th player overall. Later that same night, she was traded to the Minnesota Lynx.
However, her time with the Lynx was short. She was waived by the team just a few days after the draft. This meant she was released from the team.
Representing Her Country
Erica was invited to join the Nigeria women's national basketball team. She participated in a 10-day training camp in Atlanta, preparing for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. The team's coach, Otis Hughley Jr., called her up for this important event.
She proudly represented Nigeria in the basketball competition at the 2020 Summer Olympics. During the games, she contributed to her team by averaging 1 rebound and 1 assist.
Erica's Family Life
Erica Ogwumike was born in Cypress, Texas. She comes from a family of talented basketball players. She has three older sisters who are also professional basketball players.
Her sister Nneka Ogwumike plays for the Seattle Storm. Another sister, Chiney Ogwumike, plays for the Los Angeles Sparks. Her sister Olivia also played college basketball for the Rice University Owls. Erica is a Catholic.
