Lynx star Moore plans to sit out 3rd straight WNBA season

Four-time champion and 2014 league MVP Maya Moore intends to sit out a third straight WNBA season to spend more time with her husband Jonathan Irons, a man who served 23 years in prison for crimes he denied involvement in.

"This journey has been quite wild, so I'm still trying to take that time to really get settled," the Minnesota Lynx superstar said on "Good Morning America" Wednesday. "We just got married, so I'm still planning on taking some rest and really just leaning into this season of enjoying Jonathan and having this full year."

Irons was tried as an adult and convicted of assault and burglary in 1998 when he was 16 years old. In large part due to Moore's advocacy, a judge vacated Irons' sentence last July due to issues with the original investigation.

Moore and Irons were married this past September following 13 years of friendship.

"It's been full, to say the least," Moore said of their marriage. "You get to actually live together, and live life together, and fulfill some dreams together, and have fun. And just kind of relaxing after such a long stretch of battle, and stress, and striving."

The newlyweds are using their platform to continue advocating for justice reform, including the deterrence of wrongful convictions.

Moore hasn't played for the Lynx since 2018, opting out of the past two seasons to focus on ministry and social justice causes. In her most recent pro campaign, she averaged 18 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 36.5% on threes, garnering a seventh All-WNBA Team selection and a third All-Star MVP award.