Maya Moore

Biography

Maya Moore was on a trajectory to become the statistical GOAT of women's basketball when she walked away from the sport at 30 to fight for criminal justice reform. Four WNBA championships in eight seasons, an MVP award, a Finals MVP, and a scoring average that placed her among the elite — all of it abandoned to help free Jonathan Irons, a man she believed was wrongfully imprisoned. She succeeded: Irons was freed in 2020, and they married. Moore never returned to basketball. What she lost in statistics she gained in something far more significant. No athlete in any sport has ever made a more meaningful sacrifice at the height of their powers.

Career Highlights

• 4 WNBA championships with Minnesota Lynx
• WNBA MVP (2014) and Finals MVP
• 18.4 PPG in 8 seasons
• Left basketball at 30 to fight for criminal justice
• Successfully freed wrongfully imprisoned Jonathan Irons

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