WNBA Star Maya Moore Retires After Storied Career

By: Melo Williams 

Former WNBA star Maya Moore has officially said goodbye to the game of basketball as a player.

“I am extremely thankful for the opportunities that the WNBA, the Minnesota Lynx, and basketball have given me in my lifetime,” said Moore. “It was a dream come true for me to play basketball at the highest level and help build the foundation for women’s basketball. Ever since I was drafted in 2011, the state of Minnesota, Lynx organization, and fan base welcomed me with open arms and supported me throughout my entire career. I will forever be grateful for Glen Taylor, Coach Reeve, and the Lynx community for all of the support and am excited to continue this next chapter in my life.”

“It’s time to put a close to the pro basketball life,” Moore said on Good Morning America Monday. “I walked away four seasons ago but I wanted to officially retire.”

Moore was selected as the number one overall pick by the Minnesota Lynx in the 2011 WNBA Draft. Moore played her entire 8-year career in Minnesota where she led the franchise to four WNBA championships.

When any conversations are had or any lists are made about the best women’s basketball players of all time, Maya Moore’s name must be mentioned, number one at that.

I’m not saying it’s an absolute fact that Maya is the GOAT of women’s basketball because there is a long list of names that fit the criteria of being the best of all time.

Players like Cheryl Miller, Cynthia Cooper, Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie, Rebecca Lobo, Diana Taurasi, Candace Parker, Sue Bird, Lindsey Whalen, Brittney Griner, and so many more great women players all can be considered the greatest of all time, just saying Maya Moore is legitalmely in the conversation.

Or Lusia “Lucy” Harris, the only woman drafted in the NBA by the Utah Jazz in round 7 in the 1977 NBA Draft. In 2021, 4-time NBA Champion Shaquille O’Neal executive produced a documentary titled “The Queen of Basketball.” She was inducted into both the pro basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

On the court, there wasn’t anything Maya couldn’t do. Moore had the complete package for a basketball player. A fundamentally sound three-level scorer that played defense. Maya’s pull-up shot off the dribble was unguardable, she got to the rim with ease and had a beautiful finger roll. Kobe Bryant said in an interview in 2020 that Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi could play in the NBA then.

On Jan. 23, 2020, at 29 years old, four-time WNBA champion Maya Moore walked away from basketball still in her prime and announced she would not return to the WNBA in 2020 as she wanted to continue to focus her time and effort on criminal justice reform.

Jonathan Irons, a family friend that they believed to be wrongfully imprisoned for the past two decades is the case that Moore specifically wanted to focus on.

With Moore’s help in fighting to prove Irons’ innocence, his charges were eventually vacated in March 2020 and he was released from prison in July 2020.

Two months later, Moore and Irons announced that they had gotten married following his release from prison.

Today, released a memoir titled “Love & Justice: A Story of Triumph on Two Different Courts” that recounts their unique love story.

What Maya Moore accomplished in her eight WNBA seasons, college, and high school career rival what any basketball player man, or woman has accomplished in their basketball careers.

Here are just a few of her many accolades from the WNBA to HS basketball:

WNBA

•4-time WNBA Champion (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017)
•WNBA Finals MVP (2013)
•WNBA MVP (2014)
•WNBA Rookie of the Year (2011)
•6-time WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018)
•3-time WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2015, 2017, 2018)
•2-time All-Defensive Selection (Second Team: 2014, 2017)
•Scoring champion (2014)
•Steals leader (2018)
•7-time All-WNBA Selection (First Team: 2013, 2014. 2015, 2016, 2017; Second Team: 2012, 2018) •Olympic gold medals (2012, 2016)
•WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016)
•WNBA 25th Anniversary Team

COLLEGE

Maya Moore freshman year, Moore led the Huskies to a 36–2 record in the 2007–08 NCAA season, the Lady Huskies’ best record since their Final Four appearance of 2004. During the season, Moore averaged a team-high 17.8 points per game and shot 42% from the three. Moore was second on the team in rebounds with 7.6 per game and blocks with 1.6 per game.

Maya was the first freshman, male or female, to be named the Big East Player of the Year.

Moore was the second freshman in history to be named to the Associated Press All-America First Team and USBWA All-America First Team. She was selected as USBWA National Freshman of the Year, was named the unanimous choice for Big East Freshman of the Year, and was a 2008 All-Big East First Team member. Maya Moore was the first freshman in UConn history to be named an All-American.

Moore’s sophomore season she averaged 21.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.0 steals, and 2.3 blocks. Moore shot .625 (25-of-40) from the field earning 2009 BIG EAST Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors.

Moore became the fastest player to reach the 1,000-point milestone in UConn history, doing so in her 55th career game with 40 points vs. Syracuse.

Maya led the Lady Huskies to an undefeated 39–0 season and the 2009 National Championship while being named to the 2009 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team.

Maya Moore’s junior season was a year of excellence as a player and as a team. Moore led the Lady Huskies in scoring 18.9 points per game, was second in rebounds at 8.3, and dished out a team-high 3.8 assists per game. She was the team leader in steals (82) and second in blocks with 40 total.

She helped lead her team to a second straight undefeated 39–0 season and the 2010 National Championship and was named to the 2010 NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team again.

Moore’s senior year she posted career highs in scoring (22.3 PPG), assists (4.1 APG), and steals (2.2 SPG). She won her second Naismith College Player of the Year award. Maya was also voted Big East Player of The Year for the third time and was a fourth straight unanimous First-Team All-American in WBCA, USBWA, and AP polls.

Maya Moore is the only women’s basketball player in Division I history to record 2500 points, 1000 rebounds, 500 assists, 250 steals, and 150 blocked shots.

Moore was enshrined in the Huskies of Honor (3rd time ever for an active player).

• 4x WBCA Coaches’ All-America Team (2008–2011)

• 4x USBWA All-America Team (2008–2011)

• 3x Wade Trophy (2009–2011)

• 2x Naismith College Player of the Year (2009, 2011)

• 2x John R. Wooden Award (2009, 2011)

• 2x AP College Player of the Year (2009, 2011)

• 2x USBWA Women’s National Player of the Year (2009, 2011)

• 3x Big East Player of the Year (2008, 2009, 2011)

• 2x Academic All-America of the Year (2010–2011)

• NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2010)

• USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2008)

HIGHSCHOOL

In high school, Maya Moore led Collins Hill High School to a 125-3 record as a four-year starter to four consecutive state championships winning three of four, Georgia state titles and one HS National Championship in 2007. She won National Gatorade National Player of the Year (2007), Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, three-time Georgia 5A Player of the Year, Miss Georgia Basketball (2007), and a McDonald’s All-American (2007).

Moore’s senior year in high school she averaged 25.5 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 4.0 APG, and 4.3 SPG. Maya finished her HS basketball career at Collins High School as the school’s all-time leader in points (2,664) rebounds (1,212), assists (407), and steals (467).

Through high school, college, the WNBA, and the Olympics Maya Moore had a record of 491-78.

• (125-3) in High School
• (150-4) at UConn
• (200-71) in the WNBA
• (16-0) in the Olympics
She won 88% of the games she played.

CAREER HIGHS
Points 41 vs. Florida State (December 21, 2010)
Field Goals Made 15 vs. Florida State (December 21, 2010)
Field Goals Attempted 26 Three Times
3-Pt Field Goals Made 10 Syracuse (1/17/09)
3-Pt Field Goals Attempted 14 Syracuse (1/17/09)
Free Throws Made 11 at USF (December 2, 2010)
Free Throws Attempted 12 at USF (December 2, 2010)
Rebounds 20 at Syracuse (2/24/10)
Assists 9 at Providence (February 12, 2011)
Blocks 5 Three Times
Steals 6 Four Times

“I hope people saw me as someone who gave all she had, in whatever she was doing.”

Yes, we did Maya and we all THANK YOU for your many memories and contributions to the sport of basketball on and off the court.

Most of all the impact you’ve had and will continue to have to fight for women’s rights, equality, advancing women’s basketball, and social justice is the greatest rebound, assist, and point in your legendary storied Hall of Fame career.

Enjoy Retirement with Continued Blessings GOAT!