Los Angeles Sparks

The Los Angeles Sparks are a prominent American professional basketball team located in Los Angeles, competing in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member of the Western Conference. Known for their success in the league, the Sparks owe much of their achievements to standout players like Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike, and Kristi Toliver, who formed a formidable trio known as the "Big Three". The Sparks' roster now boasts a blend of young stars such as this year's draft picks Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, complemented by experienced players like Dearica Hamby. This mix of youth and experience positions the Sparks well for future success in the league.

Los Angeles Sparks History

The Los Angeles Sparks, established before the WNBA's first season in 1997, are notable for not being affiliated with an NBA team, even though they share the Los Angeles market with the Lakers and Clippers. The Sparks played their inaugural game at The Forum in Inglewood against the New York Liberty, ending in a 57–67 defeat. In 1998, they recorded a 12–18 season and missed the playoffs once again.

The 1999 season marked a turning point with the rise of Lisa Leslie, leading to the Sparks' first playoff appearance and a 20–12 record. They won their first playoff series against the Sacramento Monarchs but were defeated in the Western Conference Finals by the Houston Comets in a three-game series. The Sparks captured consecutive championships in 2001 and 2002. Throughout their history, they have made the WNBA Playoffs in twenty out of twenty-four seasons, the highest number in the league.

Los Angeles Sparks Owner

From 1997 to 2006, the Los Angeles Sparks were owned by Lakers owner Jerry Buss, making them a sister team to the Los Angeles Lakers. Since 2014, ownership of the Sparks has been under Sparks LA Sports, a consortium including Mark Walter, Magic Johnson, Stan Kasten, Todd Boehly, Bobby Patton, and Eric Holoman.

Los Angeles Sparks Jersey and Logo

In 2021, Nike and the WNBA introduced fresh designs for all teams, including the Los Angeles Sparks, marking a significant update. Their traditional purple uniform was reimagined as part of the "Explorer" series, while a new black alternate uniform joined the lineup under the "Rebel" series. These "Rebel" uniforms, akin to the NBA's "City" edition, aim to celebrate and reflect local culture and team identity.

Los Angeles Sparks Retired Jersey

Despite having many great players throughout the franchise's history, the Los Angeles Sparks have retired the jerseys of only two extraordinary players: Lisa Leslie (1997-2009), who wore number 9, and Penny Toler (1997-1999), who wore number 11.

Los Angeles Sparks Home Stadium

The Los Angeles Sparks play their home games at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. For Sparks games, the arena's capacity is 13,141 due to the closure of the upper level, compared to 18,997 for Lakers games. The Sparks have been playing at Crypto.com Arena since 2001. Before this, they played at The Forum, remaining there for two years after the Lakers moved to Crypto.com Arena until a local church bought the Forum.

Los Angeles Sparks Tickets and Broadcasting Details

Select Los Angeles Sparks games are televised on Spectrum SportsNet, a regional channel in Southern California, following a multi-year broadcast agreement with Time Warner Cable in March 2012. This agreement transitioned to Charter Communications in May 2016. Larry Burnett and Lisa Leslie serve as the broadcasters for these games. Previously, Sparks games were aired on Fox Sports West and Prime Ticket, with former analysts including Derek Fisher and Ann Meyers.

Additionally, some Sparks games are broadcast nationally on ESPN, ESPN2, Ion Television, CBS, CBS Sports Network, and ABC.

Los Angeles Sparks Coaching Staff

Two-time WNBA Coach of the Year Curt Miller is the Head coach of the 2024 Sparks team. Support staff are assistant coaches Camille Smith, Neil Harrow, and Nola Henry. Steve Smith and Danielle Viglione are part of the supporting staff.

Los Angeles Sparks Famous Players

Dearica Hamby

Dearica Marie Hamby is an American basketball player who plays as a power forward for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA. Drafted sixth overall in 2015, Hamby initially played for the San Antonio Stars, later known as the Las Vegas Aces. Hamby was named the WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year consecutively in 2019 and 2020 while with the Aces. She won the WNBA Championship in 2022 for Aces. In 2023, Hamby was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks, where she has become the franchise's leading player, and in 2024 she averaged 18.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game.

Cameron Brink

Cameron Lee Brink is an American basketball player who plays centre for the Los Angeles Sparks, known for her exceptional rebounding and shooting skills. As a freshman at Stanford, she wins the national championship. In her sophomore year, she shared the Pac-12 Player of the Year title and led Stanford to the Final Four. In her junior year, Brink was named WBCA Defensive Player of the Year and set the record for most blocks in Stanford's history. During her senior season, she earned the Pac-12 Player of the Year award again. Brink has also won two gold medals with the USA at the youth level and led the national 3x3 team to victory at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup. Selected as the second pick in the 2024 WNBA draft by the Sparks, she has had an impressive debut season, averaging 7.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 2.3 blocks per game.

Los Angeles Sparks Rivalries

The Lynx-Sparks rivalry is a highly anticipated fixture in the WNBA, characterized by intense playoff matchups. They faced each other back-to-back in the 2016 and 2017 seasons. In 2016, the Sparks clinched the WNBA Finals in Game 5 with a 4-1 series lead, securing their first championship since 2002 and their third overall. Candace Parker was honoured as the Finals MVP. However, the following year, they lost Game 5 of the finals, missing out on consecutive championships.

Los Angeles Sparks WNBA Records and Stats

The Los Angeles Sparks have reached the WNBA Playoffs in twenty out of their twenty-four seasons in Los Angeles, surpassing all other teams in the league in consistency. They advanced to the WNBA Finals in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2016, and 2017, securing championships in 2001, 2002, and 2016.

Los Angeles Sparks Hall of Famers

In the Los Angeles Sparks Hall of Fame, two distinguished players have been honoured: Margo Dydek, who wore jersey number 12 and played as a Center, was inducted in 2019. Zheng Haixia, who wore jersey number 28 and also played as a Center, was inducted in 2021. These players have been recognized for their contributions to the Sparks, despite the franchise having numerous other legendary players throughout its history.