Although the WNBA has reached a new golden age, some of the league's veteran players are still getting the job done. The Caitlin Clarks and Angel Reeses of the world will surely get more credit and notoriety, but this fame was built on the backs of other great players.
Talents like Nneka Ogwumike and Brittney Griner transformed the way that the game was played long before it was perceived differently. They gave their all to WNBA franchises and arenas before they were packed with young fans and recapped on talk shows.
It is difficult to compare two legendary players like Ogwumike and Griner, especially because neither of them are in their primes anymore. However, in the spirit of our WNBA35 project ranking these players, Ogwumike landed at No. 11 while Griner ended up a few slots behind her at No. 15.
READ MORE: FanSided's WNBA35, ranking the best players in the WNBA this season
Nneka Ogwumike is ranked higher than Brittney Griner in WNBA35
Both Ogwumike and Griner have legendary careers with countless accolades and achievements that could be debated at length. However, last season, Ogwumike was the better player by a slight margin, which gives her the advantage in these rankings.
Although the Phoenix Mercury snuck into the playoffs and the Seattle Storm did not make it, Ogwumike's production and impact were better than Griner's. Outside of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Jewel Loyd, the Storm did not have an elite supporting cast for Ogwumike.
The Mercury, however, had Diana Taurasi and Kahleah Copper, as well as elite role players like Sophie Cunningham, Natasha Cloud and Rebecca Allen. Ogwumike did more with less help and more attention on her. She also had to learn a new system and city for the first time in her career last year, whereas Griner remained with the team she spent the last 12 years with.
Ogwumike still contributed 16.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game, whereas Griner scored 17.8 points a night and added 6.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest as well. These numbers are strikingly similar, but it is how they get their buckets that separates them so slightly.
Last season, Ogwumike shot an impressive 40.5 percent from the 3-point line on 74 attempts, whereas Griner took just 18 shots from beyond the arc all season. Ogwumike's ability to spread the floor for her team drew bigs out of the paint and allowed players like Diggins-Smith and Loyd easier paths to the basket.
Griner, by contrast, rarely leaves the paint or dunker spot, which means that her teammates have less space to operate when they penetrate the defense. The way that the game is shifting, Ogwumike's play style is more durable and tested for the long run.
Defensively, comparing the two is a bit of a wash. Ogwumike is great at getting her hands on the ball and getting in passing lanes, leading to 1.9 steals per contest. She is not a great shot blocker, however, averaging just 0.5 per game.
On the other hand, Griner is a great shot blocker, as evidenced by her 1.5 blocks per game. However, she does not possess the ball skills that Ogwumike does, contributing just 0.5 steals per game. Both players use their length and timing in different ways, so it is difficult to compare their two defensive styles.
Ogwumike was certainly the more decorated player last year, as she earned a spot on the All-Star team, a Second-Team All-WNBA nod, a Second-Team All-Defensive nod and a seventh-place finish in the MVP voting. Griner's only accolade last year was an All-Star appearance.
Another glaring discrepancy between the two is availability. Ogwumike played seven more games than Griner did last year, and played four more minutes per conetst. Over the course of the year, this is another eight or nine games worth of minutes that Griner is missing out on compared to Ogwumike.
Both of these players will be among the best in the WNBA again this season, and time will tell if Ogwumike and Griner are slotted correctly.