Lynx legend Seimone Augustus retires, joins Sparks coaching staff

Seimone Augustus' remarkable basketball career has ended.

In one sense, anyway.

Augustus will not play a 16th season. Instead, she will join the Los Angeles Sparks — the team she played for last season — as an assistant coach.

Taken by the Lynx with the first overall pick out of LSU in the 2006 draft, Augustus played 14 of her 15 seasons with Minnesota — helping them win four WNBA titles — before her eye-raising decision to sign with L.A. in free agency before last season.

She retires with four championship rings and three Olympic gold medals. She was rookie of the year in 2006, was named first- or second-team all-WNBA six times, was part of the "Top 20 at 20" WNBA team in 2016 and an eight-time All-Star.

"We wish her well in her retirement and know she'll remain an incredible asset as a coach," Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said.

Reeve inherited Augustus — then a four-year veteran who had averaged 20 points or better in three of her first four seasons — in 2010 and began building a championship team around her. Lindsay Whalen arrived via trade and Rebekkah Brunson via dispersal draft that same season. In 2011, Maya Moore came with the first pick in the draft. And that fall Augustus was the finals MVP — she averaged 22 points in the 2011 playoffs — as the Lynx won their first of four titles with that same four-player core.

Key to that dynasty was Augustus' willingness to sacrifice scoring for all-around play, and to accommodate the talent around her.

"Seimone is the most unselfish superstar I've ever been around," said Whalen, now the University of Minnesota women's coach. "She welcomed All-Stars with open arms because all she wanted to do is win. She's also the funniest person I've ever met."

Augustus retires having scored 6,005 points, tied with Lauren Jackson for ninth in WNBA history. She is first in Lynx history in scoring (5,881), field goals (2,401), field goals attempted (5,001) and minutes (10,915).

She retires with career averages of 15.4 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists.

"Congratulations to Seimone on a great career," said Lynx center Sylvia Fowles, who joined the Lynx midway through the 2015 season. "I'm proud of all that she did in the WNBA and I look forward to seeing what she does in the future."