ESPN’s Chiney Ogwumike broke a big free-agent story on SportsCenter Friday night in unusual fashion, getting a text on the air.
If you’re thinking, “Wait, that’s not really unusual, I’ve seen Adam Schefter do that before,” understand that this was very different.
Ogwumike got the text from her sister, Nneka Ogwumike — who happened to be the big free-agent news in question.
“Wait, hold on … I just got a text, from my big sis,” Chiney Ogwumike said. “My answer just got personal when it comes to winners of free agency. She wants me to break the news, so I’m going to do it: Nine-time WNBA All-Star, WNBA champion and president of the players association, Nneka Ogwumike, is re-signing with the Seattle Storm.”
We should all be so lucky to get a glowing intro like that from a sibling.
“This is huge, congratulations to my big sis, shout out to watching live and texting me live. Once again, my big sis, who I love so much, is re-signing with Seattle,” Ogwumike continued. “Congrats, sis. I get to rock her jersey once again.”
When your sister gets to break your news 🙌
Nneka Ogwumike is re-signing with the Storm, a source tells @chiney ❤️ pic.twitter.com/6r9YLy5Ngh
— ESPN (@espn) January 31, 2025
“Yeah, we absolutely love that you broke that news,” host Elle Duncan said. “Is it any wonder that you would be the one to get the exclusive? How did you pull that one off?”
“I have a direct line,” Ogwumike said.
That’s an almost literal statement. Noted sports insiders such as Schefter, Shams Charania and others who break news off texts from agents and team sources could only dream of having a source in their own family.
