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WNBA·June 21, 2026 01:54 PM ET

Ogwumike, Ionescu recreate inaugural-season photos for WNBA's 30th anniversary

The W honors its roots as Season 30 tips off.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Jun 211 min read
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Season 1 meets Season 30 📸 We had to have Nneka Ogwumike and Sabrina Ionescu recreate iconic photos from the inaugural

What happened: The WNBA paired Nneka Ogwumike and Sabrina Ionescu to recreate images from the league's 1997 inaugural season as part of its Season 30 commemorations. The tribute was rolled out ahead of Sunday's New York-Las Vegas matchup on ESPN.

Why it matters: Bridging the founding era with the present puts the league's three-decade arc front and center, pairing a longtime veteran in Nneka Ogwumike with one of its current franchise faces in Sabrina Ionescu. The Season 30 framing leans on continuity and generational handoff as a selling point for the milestone year.

What to watch: The featured matchup tips at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, with more Season 30 programming expected to run through the campaign.

Sources

  • @WNBA 
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