For those that follow the WNBA, Maya Moore is a name you should be familiar with. Moore has accomplished a lot in her career, and last week, she made a big announcement. Moore announced her retirement.
Moore was a guest on Good Morning America, where she and her husband Jonathan Irons promoted their new book “Love & Justice: A Story of Triumph on Two Different Courts.”
Moore took the time to officially announce her retirement.
“I think it is time to put a close to the pro basketball life. I walked away four seasons ago, but I wanted to officially retire,” she said. “This is such a sweet time for us and our family and the work that we’ve done; I want to continue that in this next chapter. I want to continue to be present at home, for our community, and also doing work with our nonprofit — hangin’ it up.”
Moore did a lot during her career. Whether it was at the collegiate level, professional level or overseas, Moore always added a new accolade to her resume. Here are five impressive accolades of Maya Moore
1.) She was a two-time AP College Player of the Year
Moore had a successful college career. In her four years with UConn, Moore averaged 19.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks. Her best years were her sophomore and senior years.
Moore averaged 19.3 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.9 steals in her sophomore year, and 22.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 1.2 blocks her senior year. Moore was excellent in college, and in those years (her sophomore and senior years), she was named AP College Player of the Year. During that time she also received the John R. Wooden award and the Naismith College Player of the Year. Moore’s talent was undeniable and she received accolades that proved that.
2.) She won four WNBA Championships
Moore was the first pick in the 2011 WNBA draft. She was selected by the Minnesota Lynx. Around this time, she also became the first women’s basketball player to sign with the Jordan brand.
Moore made an instant impact on the Lynx, helping them get the best record in the WNBA that season. The Lynx had a few talented veterans leading the way but Moore was able to come in and contribute to the team. Her play throughout the season led to her winning the Rookie of the Year award, and her first championship in the same year. She became the second player to do so, as former Detroit Shock player Cheryl Ford was the first to do it in 2003.
After her first championship, Moore went on to win three more. She won in 2013, 2015 and 2017. Moore solidified her greatness during those times, and that cannot be forgotten.
3.) She won MVP in 2014
The Minnesota Lynx may not have won a championship in 2014, but that did not stop Moore from having a good season. Moore averaged a career-high 23.9 points, 8.1 rebounds (her WNBA career-high) and 1.9 steals.
Moore had an impressive season, and the Lynx nearly had a chance at winning another championship. However, the Phoenix Mercury beat them 2-1 in the Conference Finals. But Moore managed to add an MVP to her resume with her spectacular season.
4.) She was a six-time All-Star
Becoming an All-Star is an honor few players get. There are always snubs and as a result, some of the players deserving of All-Star honors do not get them. But Moore overcame that. Moore was named an All-Star starter in her rookie season, and after that she managed to remain a starter for five more games. Moore also won All-Star MVP in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
The All-Star game is a fun time for players and fans alike, and Moore had a chance to be a part of the festivities.
5.) She was included in Time 100’s Most Influential People of 2020
This accolade is off the court, but still involves her WNBA career. In 2019, Moore wrote a piece for the Players’ Tribune, where she announced that she would miss the 2019 WNBA season to focus on family and her ministry dreams. It was also around this time Moore worked towards the release of Jonathan Irons, who was serving a 50-year sentence for burglary and assault. The incident happened when Irons was 16. Irons was wrongly convicted and was released on July 1, 2020. Shortly after, Moore went on Good Morning America and said that she and Irons got married.
Moore’s work towards reform and advocacy did not go unnoticed, and Time included her on their list.
Moore did a lot of things on the court, and as time goes on, she will continue to do more off the court.
Senior Editor, Digital Manager, Blogger, has been nominated for awards several times as Publisher and Author over the years. Has been with company for almost three years and is a current native St. Louisan.
