Los Angeles Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, who has missed the Sparks' past three games with illness, will not be able to play in Saturday's WNBA All-Star Game in Minneapolis. On Wednesday, she was replaced on the Team Candace Parker roster by Minnesota Lynx forward Rebekkah Brunson.
The Sparks have said at this point it's not certain what is wrong with Ogwumike, who has been dealing with fatigue and headaches.
Ogwumike, the 2016 WNBA MVP, was picked by her Sparks teammate Parker, one of the All-Star captains. Ogwumike was scheduled to play with her younger sister, the Sun's Chiney Ogwumike, on Team Parker. The Ogwumike sisters played together for two seasons at Stanford, and both were No. 1 draft picks in the WNBA.
Brunson joins Team Parker with Lynx teammate Maya Moore, while two other Lynx players, Seimone Augustus and Sylvia Fowles, are on Team Elena Delle Donne. They will be on their home court, Target Center, for the All-Star Game.
Brunson, who has won five WNBA championships and is in her 15th season in the WNBA, became the league's all-time leading rebounder earlier this season.