No. 34 is hanging from the rafters of the Target Center in Minneapolis as of Sunday, the retired number worn by Sylvia Fowles for a truly legendary 14-year WNBA career. She's also had her number retired at her alma mater, LSU — the second women's hoops player to get the honor in Tigers' history.
Fowles retired from the league in August 2022. Her last game was on Aug. 14 that year, when the Lynx traveled to Connecticut and lost 90-83. She had put up a signature double-double, with 10 points and 12 rebounds.
While it probably wasn't the ending she'd hoped for, she told The New York Times on Aug. 19, 2022, "if I miss it, then I’ll come back."
An unforgettable moment for Sweet Syl 🧡@SylviaFowles #34 @minnesotalynx jersey now hangs in the rafters right where it belongs 🙌#MoreThanGame pic.twitter.com/cYn55ffWJq
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 12, 2023
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Fowles was known as the rebounding ace, racking up a total of 4,006 in six years with Chicago and seven with Minnesota. She's the reigning all-time career rebound leader after she beat out Rebekkah Brunson for the spot in 2020.
The 6-foot-6 center spent 2008-14 with the Chicago Sky, who drafted her second overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft, before moving to Minnesota in 2015-22. She also played for several teams and leagues overseas, including:
- Spartak Moscow (2008-10)
- Galatasaray Medical Park (2010-13)
- Shanghai Swordfish (2013-15)
- Canik Belediyesi (2015)
- Beijing Great Wall (2015-2018)
Let's take a look at where Fowles is now, and the legacy she's leaving behind in the W.
once in a lifetime player. once in a lifetime person.
— Minnesota Lynx (@minnesotalynx) June 12, 2023
THE ONE & ONLY, SYLVIA FOWLES. pic.twitter.com/zU7uD7oG6r
What is Sylvia Fowles doing now?
ESPN reported last summer that Fowles has actually been studying mortuary sciences for seven years and working part-time in funeral homes, both in Minneapolis and Miami.
She picked up the major at the American Academy McAllister Institute, where she attends online classes to learn about embalming, cremation and funeral directing. She has been interested in death since the passing of her grandmother when she was 6 years old.
Per ESPN:
I've been fascinated with death as far back as I can remember. Even as a kid, I was curious about it. Where do we go when we leave here? When you die, what happens to you? Americans don't talk about it enough. When I go to Europe and play, everyone has plans set in place [for when they die]. It's so open. I just want to be an advocate for it.
In 2010, she founded the Sylvia Fowles Family Fund to help children in need. She is also a spokesperson for the Citizens United for Research in Epilepsy, also known as CURE.
Sylvia Fowles WNBA stats
Regular season
| PTS | FG% | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | |
| Chicago Sky (2008-2014) |
2,927 | 0.58 | 0.702 | 1,832 | 141 | 211 | 376 |
| Minnesota Lynx (2015-2022) |
3,488 | 0.604 | 0.74 | 2,174 | 320 | 281 | 345 |
| TOTAL | 6,415 | 0.599 | 0.728 | 4,006 | 461 | 492 | 721 |
Postseason
| PTS | FG% | FT% | REB | AST | STL | BLK | |
| Chicago Sky (2013-2014) |
176 | 0.50 | 0.659 | 111 | 3 | 19 | 18 |
| Minnesota Lynx (2015-2021) |
433 | 0.565 | 0.698 | 315 | 40 | 30 | 51 |
| TOTAL | 609 | 0.584 | 0.712 | 426 | 43 | 49 | 69 |
Sylvia Fowles awards, honors, records
Sylvia Fowles' incredible career:
— Just Women’s Sports (@justwsports) June 12, 2023
– 2x WNBA Champion
– 2x WNBA Finals MVP
– 4x WNBA DPOY
– 4x Olympic Gold Medalist
– 2017 WNBA MVP
– 1st all-time in rebounds
– No. 34 retired by the @minnesotalynx
Legend. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/JTGhUGLXIF
Fowles earned a lot of awards in her 14-year stint with the WNBA. She is a two-time league champion, and two-time Finals MVP. She was league MVP in 2017 and has eight All-Star selections to her name alongside four Defensive Player of the Year trophies.
She was on the All-WNBA first team three times and the second team five times. She was also on the All-Defensive first team eight times and the second team three times. She got All-Rookie honors in 2008
She's was the league leader for blocks in 2010 and 2011 and the league rebounding champion in 2013, 2018 and 2022 before claiming the overall title. In her final season she won the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.
Outside of the WNBA, she's a four-time Olympic gold medalist, and the 2010 World Championship gold medalist. She won the Women's Chinese Basketball Association championship twice, as well as the Turkish Cup three-times. She also won the the Europe SuperCup and was the EuroLeague champion in both 2009 and 2010.