Sylvia Fowles: The surprising next step for a great of women's basketball after her WNBA farewell

On the evening of Friday 11 August 2022, in front of a packed-out Target Center in the city of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sylvia Fowles said her final farewell to basketball.

The crowd got to its feet as the four-time Olympic gold medallist, two-time WNBA Championship winner, two-time WNBA Finals MVP, 2017 WNBA MVP and eight-time All-star exited the court for the last time.

Their ovation left little doubt as to the 36-year-old Minnesota Lynx center’s final standing; she departed as an icon.

Speaking to ESPN after her last hurrah, which concluded in a 96-69 defeat to the Seattle Storm, Fowles – known fondly as ‘Mama Syl’ - was as gracious and as unassuming as her reputation so often suggests:

“Coming into this season, I didn’t want none of this attention but as the season went along, I realised how much love and how much appreciation these fans have for me across this league, and I never want to take this for granted.

“Thank you guys for everything that you have done throughout my career. It’s been an amazing ride and I appreciate you.”

Sylvia Fowles: 15 years of consistently delivering

Many of sport's greatest names seek retirement on their own terms.

Fowles left, not only having done that, but with a mark of dominance still on the game.

Over the course of her 15-year-long career in the WNBA, the 1.98m-tall centre averaged 15.7 points and 9.8 rebounds as well as being the all-time leader in rebounds, field goal percentage and double doubles.

Her career-concluding numbers, which demonstrate why her peers so often call her the ‘complete package,' follow through on the promise the Miami-native flashed in her early years.

After finishing as a four-time All American at Louisiana State University Fowles went on to be picked No.2 in the WNBA Draft by the Chicago Sky in 2008.

While some rookies take time to find their feet, Fowles was immediately dominant the moment she stepped on to the paint. Her maturity secured her a call-up to the United States’ women’s basketball team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Team USA's rout in China was the first of what would eventually be four Olympic gold medals for Fowles.

At the time, the achievement underlined what had been a breakthrough year for center who dared to confess to WNBA.com after being drafted second overall that playing hoops wasn’t always her dream:

“I always tried to follow in my mom and sister’s footsteps and run track. But going into eighth grade I grew like four inches and my mom was like ‘It’s about time for you to do something else.’

“I remember that day I cried really hard and said, I don’t want to play basketball. I don’t want to play basketball. I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but I ended up loving it.”

Fowles would go on to spend her career with just two franchises – the Chicago Sky and the Minnesota Lynx.

She would force a trade with the former to the latter in 2015 after declining to sign a new contract. It was a decision that saw her miss nearly half a season but set a precedent in the league about player autonomy.

Once she eventually arrived in Minneapolis the centre truly came alive with the Lynx. Fowles won her first of two championships that very season in addition to collecting the first of her two Finals MVP honours.

Her second accolade came two years later, in 2017, when after collecting her third Olympic medal at Rio 2016 she became practically indomitable, scooping up a WNBA championship, MVP award, and Finals MVP award in one season.

But of all the stunning notes on Fowles’ basketball resume her time in a Team USA jersey stands out in bold.

Having represented the US at a junior level in 2003 and 2005, Fowles got the call-up to the senior team in 2006 before then going on to be selected for her first Olympics in Beijing.

From her gold in the Chinese capital Fowles would go on to win another three Olympic titles – most recently at Tokyo 2020 in 2021 – as well as claiming a FIBA world title back in 2010.

While in the red, white and blue, Fowles registered 87 wins to six losses and is one of just six female USA athletes to have claimed four or more Olympic basketball gold medals.

She sits among a pantheon of USA women basketball giants including: Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Teresa Edwards and Lisa Leslie.

Sylvia Fowles: What awaits a world outside of hoops

When Fowles’ Minnesota Lynx team-mates prepared their celebrations for their veteran’s final game they never quite expected that they would be at the receiving end of gifts.

But, as a mark to their star centre’s nurturing character, she had given them all presents. Amongst the collection of gifts she had included home-made knitted hats crafted by Fowles herself.

Being deft with needles is just one of the basketball star’s hobbies outside of her sport. Cooking and growing plants are also among the things she loves to do as she determined not to live solely for basketball.

With her retirement now finalised the four-time Olympic gold medallist is sure her time in the sport is over. Up next is something of a significant career change; she will become a mortician.

Having had a fascination with death from a young age, several years ago Fowles decided to indulge her curiosity by spending studying mortuary science, as well as working part-time in funeral homes in both Miami and Minneapolis.

She hopes to return to her native Florida as embarks on her second career.

Sylvia Fowles career in numbers:

• One WNBA Most Valuable Player award (2017)

• Two WNBA championships (2015, 2017)

• Two WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player awards (2015, 2017)

• No. 2 in 2008 WNBA Draft

• Four Olympic gold medals with Team USA (2008, 2012, 2016, 2021)

• Four WNBA Defensive Player of the Year awards (2011, 2013, 2016, 2021)

• Eight All-Star game selections (2009, 2011, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022)

• Eight WNBA All-Defensive First Team selections (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022)

• 15 WNBA seasons played