by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman
July 21, 2024
Ogunbowale was notably left off Workforce USA’s 2024 Olympic roster.
Arike Ogunbowale led Workforce WNBA to victory through the league’s all-star recreation on July 20. The Dallas Wings star was topped MVP for her efficiency in Phoenix.
Workforce WNBA triumphed over Workforce USA with a rating of 117-109. Workforce USA’s gamers will head to the Paris 2024 Olympics. Ogunbowale, who was notably absent from the Olympic roster, dazzled within the exhibition match by scoring 34 factors, all within the second half. The 27-year-old record-breaking efficiency led to the decisive win, and she or he additionally grabbed 3 rebounds and delivered 6 assists.
MVP, MVP, MVP!
With 34 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST Arike Ogunbowale is known as the @ATT #WNBAAllstar Sport MVP for the 2nd time in her profession! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/SfJrdzECFB
— WNBA (@WNBA) July 21, 2024
Nevertheless, Ogunbowale has made all-star greatness in previous years. In 2021, she took dwelling the MVP honors in one other match towards Workforce USA. As for this yr’s snub, the athlete revealed she withdrew herself from consideration as a result of “politics” selecting the gamers.
She shared her reasoning on the “Nightcap” podcast with Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson earlier than the all-star recreation.
“I really took my identify out of the pool months in the past,” she added. “When the record got here out, I do know all people was like, ‘Arike ought to’ve been on it.’ I knew I wouldn’t be on it. That’s not saying I didn’t assume perhaps final yr I might be on the crew, that I used to be adequate to make the crew.”
She added, “I just about had an concept that I wouldn’t be on it. I simply felt the vibes. In the case of that stuff, it actually doesn’t have a lot to do along with your recreation…Once I consider ladies’s basketball and what number of years I’ve been taking part in in school and professional, politics is at all times surrounding it. Whether or not that’s USA Basketball, All-Star groups, [All-WNBA] first-team, stuff like that — there’s politics. There’s politics in every part.”
Ogunbowale, the WNBA’s main scorer with a mean of 29.4 factors per recreation, will not be becoming a member of Workforce USA within the quest for gold, however her standout efficiency proves she appears greater than able to shine on any stage.
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