Lynx star Maya Moore will play for Russian powerhouse

She announced she is joining UMMC Ekaterinburg days after Diana Taurasi announced her departure.

December 23, 2017 at 3:14AM
Minnesota Lynx forward Maya Moore (23) looks to pass against Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi (3) during Game 1 of the WNBA basketball playoffs Western Conference finals on Thursday, Sept. 26, 2013, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Stacy Bengs)
Lynx forward Maya Moore looked to pass against Mercury guard Diana Taurasi during the 2013 WNBA playoffs at Target Center. (Ken Chia — AP/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Lynx star forward Maya Moore will play a partial season for UMMC Ekaterinburg, a Russian Premier League powerhouse.

Moore, 28, made the announcement Thursday on Twitter, saying she would join the team next month.

UMMC has won the past nine Russian League titles as well as three EuroLeague titles. Fellow WNBA star Diana Taurasi said she was leaving the team just days ago. Taurasi's Phoenix teammate Brittney Griner, another WNBA star, remains on the UMMC roster.

Moore's previous WNBA offseason international experience included playing in Spain from 2011-12 and China from 2012-16. She did not play abroad last offseason.

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