Former Duke guard Kyrie Irving, the top pick in last year's NBA draft, earns a salary of $5.1 million as a rookie with the Cavaliers. On the league's wage scale, his salary will rise to $9.2 million in his fifth year.

Nneka Ogwumike, who led Stanford to four Final Fours, was the top pick in Monday's WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. Her salary will be considerably lower, as befits a league that has pockets of support but little national presence.

The salaries for the top four picks in the WNBA start at just $48,000 and grow to $61,000 by their fourth year.

Like most other WNBA players, Ogwumike will play overseas in the offseason to augment her income. Some top players leave the WNBA altogether because they can play in Europe and make four to five times the WNBA's maximum salary of about $105,000.

Ogwumike has no plans to do that. The beauty of being drafted by L.A., she said, is that it's the closest team to Stanford, where she plans to do graduate work in business.

"I feel great being with the Sparks," she said. "They have Candace Parker and Ebony Hoffman up front, and now they've got Nicky Anosike (in a trade with Washington). And they've got Alana Beard in the backcourt. That's about all I know about them."

The Sparks had the fourth-worst record in the league at 15-19 but won the draft lottery with the smallest chance - 10 percent - of the four eligible teams.

Ogwumike, a 6-foot-2 power forward, was the first Stanford player taken No. 1. Three previous Cardinal players - Jamila Wideman (1997), Nicole Powell (2004) and Candice Wiggins (2008) - went No. 3.

After Ogwumike, Tennessee guard Shekinna Stricklen went second to Seattle, and Notre Dame center Devereaux Peters was chosen third by defending champion Minnesota.

Lets celebrate

Igbo women doing big things!! Just like NOI

Okija_juju: Igbo women doing big things!! Just like NOI

Please don't mention her, that woman has sold half of Nigeria's wealth to westerners!

Nice one. Nigerians are doing us proud.

Igbos are pride of Africa.

For the first time in the WNBA, an African is the first draft.

afam4eva: For the first time in the WNBA, an African is the first draft.

Be specific. . . An African of Igbo origin.

Ranks007:


Please don't mention her, that woman has sold half of Nigeria's wealth to westerners!

afam4eva: For the first time in the WNBA, an African is the first draft.

Na you sabi that one. . . Name another Nigerian woman that you can place above her.

Okija_juju:

Be specific. . . An African of Igbo origin.

I mean an African because being first pick does not come easy and because we've only has a handful of Africans in the WNBA. I may be wrong though.

afam4eva:

I mean an African because being first pick does not come easy and because we've only has a handful of Africans in the WNBA. I may be wrong though.

Slow down, she's American

one.east:
Igbos are pride of Africa.

Hakeem Olajuwon was selected number one overall in the NBA draft in 1984.
He won the NBA title and playoffs MVP in 1995
He is one of the top 5 centres in the history of basketball, to ever play the game
Hakeem grew up in Lagos Nigeria.

Ogbunike was born and raised in AMERICA
We should be proud of her but bringing all these Igbo talks into it is kinda funny.

What Olajuwon did as a youruba boy born and raised in Lagos is much more unique than what Ogbunike, a Nigerian American just achieved, and yourba peeps didnt make this much tribal related statements.

rman:

Hakeem Olajuwon was selected number one overall in the NBA draft in 1984.
He won the NBA title and playoffs MVP in 1995
He is one of the top 5 centres in the history of basketball, to ever play the game
Hakeem grew up in Lagos Nigeria.

Ogbunike was born and raised in AMERICA
We should be proud of her but bringing all these Igbo talks into it is kinda funny.

What Olajuwon did as a youruba boy born and raised in Lagos is much more unique than what Ogbunike, a Nigerian American just achieved, and yourba peeps didnt make this much tribal related statements.

You're the one who's making it tribal by bringing Yoruba into it.

I respect Hakeem Olajuwon for being the first draft in his own time even ahead of Micheal Jordan. yes, he was picked ahead of Micheal Jordan. he's the greatest basketballer ever to come out of Africa.

I also respect Ejike Ugboaja for being the first Nigerian to be picked right here in Nigeria.

rman:

Hakeem Olajuwon was selected number one overall in the NBA draft in 1984.
He won the NBA title and playoffs MVP in 1995
He is one of the top 5 centres in the history of basketball, to ever play the game
Hakeem grew up in Lagos Nigeria.

Ogbunike was born and raised in AMERICA
We should be proud of her but bringing all these Igbo talks into it is kinda funny.

What Olajuwon did as a youruba boy born and raised in Lagos is much more unique than what Ogbunike, a Nigerian American just achieved, and yourba peeps didnt make this much tribal related statements.

Yo chill down already. This chick is still fresh.

I keep wondering when we would stop adding tribal sentiments to the achievement of any nigerian abroad. Cant we just be happy that its a nigerian thats doing the whole of nigeria proud !!!!

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