Nneka Ogwumike passed Tamika Catchings for fifth on the WNBA's all-time scoring list as the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Phoenix Mercury 97-88 on Thursday.
Nneka Ogwumike moved into fifth place on the WNBA's all-time scoring list Thursday night, passing Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings during the Los Angeles Sparks' 97-88 win over the Phoenix Mercury at Mortgage Matchup Center.
Ogwumike entered the game with 7,371 career points, needing 10 to pass Catchings' 7,380. She got there in the second quarter, hitting a 15-foot jumper off an assist from Jihyun Park with 4:11 remaining in the half to reach 10 points and surpass the mark. She finished the game with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists, putting her career total at 7,383.
Ogwumike is now chasing Hall of Famer Tina Thompson, who finished her WNBA career in 2013 with 7,488 points. After Thompson, the next names ahead are DeWanna Bonner, Tina Charles, and Diana Taurasi, who tops the list at 10,646 points.
Bonner played for the Mercury on Thursday and scored 9 points, bringing her career total to 7,871. She is the only other active player in the top five. Bonner came into the game at 7,862 points, third on the all-time list.
Most of Ogwumike's career has been spent in a Sparks uniform. Ogwumike rejoined the Sparks this season after two years with the Seattle Storm. She played her first 12 seasons in Los Angeles and won Rookie of the Year in 2012 and league MVP in 2016.
The Sparks improved to 2-3 with the road win. Dearica Hamby scored 27 points with 15 rebounds, shooting 7-of-11 from the field and making all 11 of her free throws. Kelsey Plum added 16 points and 7 assists, Ariel Atkins scored 11, and rookie Cameron Brink had 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 blocks off the bench. Rae Burrell added 12 off the bench. Los Angeles shot 48.4% from the field, made 15 of its 32 3-point attempts, and went 20-of-22 at the free throw line.
Los Angeles led by as many as 21. The Sparks scored 35 points in the second quarter to take a 60-43 halftime lead. Phoenix outscored Los Angeles 27-22 in the third quarter to cut the deficit, but the Mercury never got closer than seven.
Alyssa Thomas led the Mercury (2-4) with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Kahleah Copper had 22 points and 5 rebounds. Jovana Nogic scored 15 with 3 assists, and Natasha Mack added 10 points with 9 rebounds. Bonner had 9 points and 5 rebounds.
Copper was assessed a technical foul in the first quarter and a flagrant 1 in the second.
Phoenix shot 42% from the field but went 8-of-25 from 3 and 22-of-29 at the free throw line. The Mercury outscored the Sparks 40-26 in the paint and 14-13 in second-chance points, but Los Angeles' 15 made 3-pointers were the difference.
The WNBA's all-time scoring leaders sit at: 1) Taurasi (10,646), 2) Charles (8,396), 3) Bonner (7,871), 4) Thompson (7,488), 5) Ogwumike (7,383).
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