WNBA Legend Maya Moore Announces Retirement
Maya Moore has been one of the greatest players in the history of women’s basketball. She’s been a key part of four WNBA championship teams, two gold medals in the Olympics, and two world titles in the FIBA World Cup. Now, at 33, she’s retiring from basketball.
After a stellar career, Moore has announced her retirement. In her eight-year WNBA career, she has won four championships, led the UConn Huskies to a 150-4 record, and earned three WNBA MVP awards. This includes the only player in WNBA history to score over 40 points in a game. Her career included eight playoff appearances, and she remains the franchise’s all-time leader in scoring.
With a career scoring average of 18.4 points per game, she ranks second in the WNBA in field goals made and fourth in steals. A player who could shoot from anywhere on the court, Moore was one of the most difficult players to guard.
In addition to her WNBA accomplishments, Moore won an Olympic gold medal in 2012. As a member of the United States’ gold-medal-winning team, Moore averaged 17.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in the three games she played.
Moore is known as the architect of the Lynx dynasty. The Lynx finished an 11-year streak in the WNBA’s top series last season. Cheryl Reeve and Lindsay Whalen are the only two players who remain from that run. It may be time for a new era in the Lynx franchise. However, it’s not yet certain.
Although Moore is no longer playing professionally, her legacy is still very much alive. As she prepares to retire, she is still active in advocating for social justice and incarceration reform. Along with her husband Jonathan Irons, she’s working to free wrongfully incarcerated people.
During her time in the WNBA, Moore was selected first overall by the Minnesota Lynx in 2011. Among other accolades, she was a 2011 WNBA Rookie of the Year. She was also selected to the WNBA’s Top 20@20 Team.
As a member of the UConn Huskies, Moore won two National Championships, two FIBA World Championships, and two Olympic gold medals. She was a four-time All-American and a two-time AP Player of the Year. She is also a six-time WNBA All-Star.
While she may not have left a physical mark on the WNBA, Maya Moore has had an impact on the state of Minnesota. As a native of Jefferson City, Missouri, she has a passion for social justice and criminal justice reform. One of her most notable contributions has been helping her husband, Jonathan Irons, win freedom from a 50-year prison sentence. He was convicted of a crime at age 16, but was released after being sentenced to 50 years. Since then, he and Moore have been married and have had their first child.
After a stellar career in the WNBA, Moore took a sabbatical in 2019. At the end of the season, she announced that she will not return to the Lynx, citing her commitment to helping her husband receive freedom.
