For the third time in four years, FIBA has denied WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike’s petition to switch her international basketball allegiance from the United States to Nigeria, ruling her ineligible to represent the African nation at the upcoming FIBA Women’s World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.

Ogwumike, a former WNBA MVP and a longtime staple in American basketball, first sought the change in national representation ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (held in 2021 due to the pandemic). Her request was initially blocked, and subsequent appeals — including a second attempt in 2022 — were also rejected.

In its latest decision, FIBA cited her participation in official FIBA competitions for Team USA, specifically the 2014 and 2018 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cups, as the primary reason for her continued ineligibility to switch allegiances. Under FIBA regulations, players who have represented one country in a senior-level official competition are generally not permitted to compete for another nation.

Despite this, Ogwumike has maintained a public and persistent desire to honor her Nigerian heritage — both of her parents are Nigerian immigrants — and contribute to the development of basketball on the continent.

“This is not just about me playing for Nigeria,” Ogwumike said in a past statement. “It’s about using my platform to uplift the next generation of athletes who look like me, who come from where I come from.”

Ogwumike’s case has drawn attention due to the complexities of nationality in international sports and the limited flexibility athletes face when seeking to switch countries, even when dual citizenship and strong cultural ties exist. Critics have argued that FIBA’s rules can disproportionately affect athletes of African descent seeking to represent their ancestral homelands.

Nigeria, which has become a rising force in women’s basketball, had welcomed Ogwumike’s efforts to join the national team, seeing her experience and leadership as valuable assets on and off the court.

With the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup on the horizon and the 2028 Summer Olympics set for Los Angeles — Ogwumike’s home turf — this latest denial may be her final chance to suit up internationally. Whether she will continue to pursue an appeal remains unclear.

As it stands, Ogwumike remains eligible only to compete for Team USA — a team she was controversially left off of during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics despite a decorated career.