Why is Nneka Ogwumike still being denied the chance to play for Nigeria? Understanding FIBA's reasoning

Seattle Storm star Nneka Ogwumike has once again been denied an opportunity to play for Nigeria in the 2028 Olympics. Ogwumike recently sent her third appeal to the association, urging authorities to allow her to play for the country her parents were born in. The Storm star has been trying to get approval from FIBA since 2021.

Despite her honorable intentions, FIBA's association is enforcing an odd rule on Ogwumike. It's simply because she's already played for Team USA. FIBA won't allow her to sport another country's jersey in her career. While Ogwumike did play for Team USA in the past, it's worth noting that she never represented the team in the Olympics.

The next question is, why did we call it an odd rule in the first place? If Nneka Ogwumike's appeal were approved, she wouldn't be the first basketball athlete making the switch. We've seen the likes of Serge Ibaka, who represented more than one country in his career. Ibaka played for the Republic of the Congo and Spain in FIBA.

Having that in mind, there might be another reason FIBA's association isn't telling us. While Team USA gave Ogwumike their blessing to let her play for Nigeria, it's unfortunate that the Storm star has to deal with the league's technicalities.

A look at Nneka Ogwumike's 2025 WNBA season performance

Nneka Ogwumike has concluded her second season with the Seattle Storm, and her 14th season overall. Despite falling short in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, Ogwumike undoubtedly had another fantastic individual season.

Looking at Ogwumike's numbers, it was enough to allow her to play in her 10th career All-Star game. The Storm star averaged 18.3 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals. Her numbers may not be as crazy as some of the younger WNBA talent; however, they're still efficient enough to give her a spot in the All-WNBA Second Team.

As of this writing, Nneka Ogwumike is a free agent. Her one-year contract with the Storm ended after the 2025 WNBA Finals concluded. With more than half a year of wait time before the 2026 season commences, likely, we wouldn't hear much from WNBA teams making moves until they approach the start date.

Edited by Itiel Estudillo