Maya Moore’s Jersey Retired in Powerful Ceremony Honoring WNBA Star and Social Justice Icon.
Moore joins the elite Minnesota Lynx club alongside Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, Rebekkah Brunson, and Seimone Augustus.
The Minnesota Lynx celebrated franchise legend Maya Moore by raising her number 23 jersey to the rafters at Target Arena following their game against Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever.
Moore is now the fourth Minnesota Lynx player to have her jersey retired, joining the ranks of Lindsay Whalen, Sylvia Fowles, Rebekkah Brunson, and Seimone Augustus. All four played key roles in building the Lynx dynasty that secured four WNBA titles during the 2010s.
ESPN reports that Moore was moved to tears in front of a record Lynx home crowd of 19,023. She was also honored with gold pairs of her signature shoes and a letterman-style jacket from the Jordan Brand, which made her its first-ever female athlete when she signed with the company as a rookie in 2011.
“My life shows what happens when we love a little girl well,” Moore told the crowd. “This ceremony is filled with love, thanks to so many people who’ve shaped my life and shown me what it’s all about. That’s what I tried to bring every day: life and joy, because I’ve been blessed with both.”
Moore added, “My journey was unexpected, but it was exactly the path I was meant to take. Each year, as my life evolved, it became clear that I couldn’t shift back. I just wanted to stay in the moment and keep things open until I was certain. I kind of don’t want this night to end, especially with so many of my favorite people here with me.”
In her speech, Moore reflected on her time away from the WNBA, during which she dedicated herself to helping free her now-husband Jonathan Irons, who was wrongfully convicted and spent 23 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. Due to this commitment and her family with Irons, she decided not to return to the WNBA at the peak of her career.
The New York Times reports that Moore led the Lynx’s Black Lives Matter protests in 2016 and announced in 2019 that she would step away from basketball, largely to focus on Irons’ case. She took a two-year hiatus, married Irons in 2020, and started a family with him in 2022.
Moore officially retired almost exactly a year ago, and she has made it clear she won’t be returning to basketball. Her jersey retirement now solidifies her legacy on a night that celebrates her incredible contributions to the game.
Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark told CNN before the game that Maya Moore was the biggest influence on her decision to pursue basketball as a young girl.
“She was my role model growing up,” Clark said. “She’s the kind of person you want your daughter to look up to. It’s surreal to play in this building, where I also played in college, and now as a pro. It feels like everything has come full circle. Maya Moore was definitely that person for me, and she was incredible.”
Lynx star Napheesa Collier, who grew up in the same town and attended UConn like Moore, is having an outstanding season. If not for Aces forward A’ja Wilson’s exceptional performance this year, Collier would likely be the frontrunner for MVP. Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve, who also coached Moore, told ESPN that Collier’s success in Minnesota is another testament to Moore’s legacy.
“The impact of Maya Moore is that Napheesa Collier got to dream of one day being like her,” Reeve said.
