‘O' IS NOT FOR OGWUMIKEYes, the letter ‘O' is not for Ogwumike. The letter ‘A' is.
For when it comes to Euroleague Women, Nnemkadi Ogwumike is a straight ‘A' performer after collecting yet another weekly gong for her performance for Dynamo Kursk - albeit in defeat.
Her numbers are eye-bulging this season and when you also look at the year she spent playing in her rookie campaign for CCC Polkowice (before her absence of a year playing in China), you will struggle to find a better career record in the competition. Period.
Sure, it is not even two complete seasons yet, but so far at least, she is my Player of the Year at this stage and not only because of the stats which have seen her return a breathtaking 21.8 points and 12.3 points per game and shot 57.1%.
Already a well-grounded and intelligent player both on and off the court, she seems to have matured even more. She is grabbing two steals per game and her shot selection has been the key. Making over 57% of her plays in and around the basket, but making five triples from 13 attempts outside. And at 38%, that is more than enough for her defenders to have to respect her ability to drift outside.
Her 30 points against Galatasaray was also a career high in the competition.
Although you can measure the red-hot (make that white-hot) form she is in and also her sky-high potential in the fact that even this may not remain the high tide mark!
Ogwumike is on the kind of upward trajectory which at this rate, is in danger of becoming almost beautifully vertical!
However, while her profile, stats and everything else soars, the feet of Ogwumike will remain firmly planted into the ground and that is what makes Dynamo Kursk even more lucky to have her.
