Those who know Nnemkadi (Nneka) Ogwumike best do not lack for nicknames to call her. Some are merely run-of-the-mill sports fare, such as Nek, Nek Nek, Nnekanator, and Guma, a rare surname riff (pronunciation: Oh-gwoo-MIH-kay). Others are more illustrative, the ones that explain why some friends and family have suggested, not entirely jokingly, that the 30-year-old Los Angeles Sparks forward should “create a lifestyle book” and market her diverse set of skills to the masses.
Take, for instance, Chef Nnek. Breakfast is her speciality, but Chef Nnek is plenty versatile, whipping up personal favorites such as Nigerian jollof rice (her parents were born there), vegan pasta alfredo (her diet is plant-based) and shrimp enchiladas with dairy-free cheese (she’s lactose-intolerant) for hungry teammates during the 2020 WNBA season.