Dallas Wings Forward Imani McGee-Stafford Will Sit Out Next 2 WNBA Seasons For Law School

Some of the logjam in the frontcourt was solved for the Dallas Wings of the WNBA on Monday morning as the team announced veteran big Imani McGee-Stafford would sit out the next two seasons to attend law school.

McGee-Stafford, who is the daughter of legendary USC and Team USA center Pam McGee and the sister of Los Angeles Lakers center JaVale McGee, will attend Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles for the next two years, according to a press release from the Wings.

“While I am saddened to step away from such a big part of my life, I’m also excited for this next chapter,” said McGee-Stafford in a statement.

After graduating from the University of Texas in 2016, McGee-Stafford carved out a successful career as a role player in the WNBA. Off the court, she has been outspoken about issues such as mental health and sexual violence. She has dabbled in media, including making video content at the women’s basketball site High Post Hoops.

Still, it is rare for a professional athlete to step away to further their career in another area. McGee-Stafford’s decision parallels that of 2014 WNBA MVP Maya Moore, who stepped away prior to the 2019 season to work toward justice for the wrongly convicted Jonathan Irons, whose sentence was commuted this spring. Moore has said she will sit out the 2020 season as well to continue the broader criminal justice she work she’s undertaken.

The WNBA’s relatively low pay forces many players to go overseas to compete or find work in other industries. McGee-Stafford is making a move toward life after basketball at a young age, which could allow her to return to the court after law school and continue to compete.

From Dallas’ perspective, though McGee-Stafford was one of the best players in its frontcourt, her departure will clear up playing time for the recently acquired Astou Ndour as well as other bench players like Isabelle Harrison and Kristine Anigwe.

The team figures to start Ndour and Harrison in the frontcourt this year, and could use a first-round pick on one of the countless great bigs available now that McGee-Stafford cleared out some depth at the position.

McGee-Stafford will be placed on the Wings’ suspended list, a mechanism in the WNBA that allows injured or departed players to remain on the roster without counting toward one of the 12 official slots.

“We wish Imani well as she pursues a law degree,” Wings president and CEO Greg Bibb said in a statement. “We thank her for her hard work and contribution to the Wings organization and support her decision to step away from the WNBA in order to achieve a longtime goal.”