LOS ANGELES — Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike is the model of consistency, according to Coach Curt Miller.

“I think sometimes Nneka gets taken for granted in this league,” Miller said. “She’s been a staple of consistency and a staple of who she is as a person.”

Sparks head coach Curt Miller makes the case for Nneka Ogwumike to be voted as a WNBA All-Star Starter. If Nneka makes the 2023 All-Star team, it would be her 8th appearance in her 12-year WNBA career. #WNBA #WNBAAllStar #WNBATwitter pic.twitter.com/yZ7uZtbZLg

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 19, 2023

Ogwumike, 32, is averaging 19.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and a career-high 3.8 assists per game in her 12th season in the WNBA, which is comparable to her league MVP season in 2016 (19.7 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 3.1 apg). The seven-time All-Star is currently eighth in the league in scoring and fourth in rebounding.

“This may be the best start in the first 11 games to a season that she’s ever had and she’s been an MVP in this league,” Miller said. “Her numbers speak for themselves. She’s carrying us. We’re asking a lot of her.”

Miller believes Ogwumike deserves not only to be an All-Star again this season but a starter in next month’s game in Las Vegas.

“I told her, she’s so fun to coach and we’re putting her in positions where she’s having tons of success and we’re asking a lot of her and she’s stepping up,” Miller added. “I think everybody out there has seen that. I think she’s an All-Star starter, but she’s certainly deserving of another All-Star appearance. I think she’s played herself into a starter.”

“It’s one of the ultimate honors,” Ogwumike added when asked about the possibility of being named a WNBA All-Star Starter for the second straight season. “I’m always honored when I’m named an All-Star in any capacity, but it’s not exactly what I play for.

“It’s definitely one of the accolades that a lot of people have dreams of making. I’m very grateful to have been consistently named one, despite how the team is going but I also strongly believe you get a lot of votes when your team is doing well and I would like to say that our team is doing pretty good. We have some games that we think we could have won but in terms of our everyday growth, I see it progressing. But being named a starter or an All-Star at all is always a blessing. I’m really looking more forward to maybe some of my teammates being named All-Stars.”

Nneka Ogwumike told me what it would mean to her to be selected as a WNBA All-Star Starter. #WNBAAllStar #WNBATwitter #WNBA pic.twitter.com/FcL2WLuymW

— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 19, 2023

The Sparks (5-6) continue their five-game homestand against the Minnesota Lynx (3-8) on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.

Minnesota has presented a conundrum for the Sparks this season. The Sparks are 0-2 against the Lynx, losing both games in similar fashions. The Sparks blew an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter on June 11 in Minnesota and could not maintain a nine-point halftime advantage on Friday night at home.

Lynx forward Napheesa Collier, a two-time All-Star who missed most of the 2022 season due to pregnancy, has averaged 24.5 points and 7.5 rebounds against the Sparks this season.

“I’m excited that it’s Minnesota because we’ve lost back-to-back against Minnesota,” Sparks forward Karlie Samuelson said. “It’s good you can bounce back after a loss and keep competing.”

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