Know All About Los Angeles Sparks: Roster, Players, Owner, Coach and more

The history of the Los Angeles Sparks goes as far back as the establishment of the WNBA. A Sparks player was the first to score the league’s first two points. The Sparks are embedded in LA’s sporting culture, with many local fans counting the franchise as part and parcel with the Lakers.

The Purple and Gold in the WNBA have a decorated history that also shaped the W in its own way. This article dives deeper into the history of the Los Angeles Sparks, the famous players that became the cornerstone of this franchise, its records, and everything a fan needs to know about this team.

Los Angeles Sparks Overview

The Los Angeles Sparks were one of the original franchises to be established, along with the establishment of the WNBA. The Sparks played their first WNBA season in 1997, facing the New York Liberty in their first game at their home arena, The Forum. At that time, The Forum also served as the home arena for the NBA team Los Angeles Lakers.

The Sparks earned their first playoff berth in the 1999 season when Lisa Leslie emerged as one of the star players for the franchise. The team went on to win consecutive WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002, in a similar fashion as their NBA counterparts, the Lakers. The Sparks last won a championship in 2016 and, since then, have been having on-and-off appearances in the playoffs, sometimes even qualifying for the Conference Finals.

Los Angeles Sparks Roster

The following is the current roster of LA Sparks, as it stands as of January 2025:

Los Angeles Fever Coach – Head Coach

Lynne Roberts is the head coach for the Los Angeles Sparks. She was announced as the new coach for the Sparks on November 19, 2024, replacing Curt Miller. She previously coached at the collegiate level with 27 years of coaching experience and has served as the head coach at Chico State, Pacific, and Utah.

As per ESPN, when she was announced as the head coach for the Sparks, she remarked, “I was 100 percent invested at Utah. It just kind of felt like this is a golden opportunity. As a competitor, the chance to coach the best in the world, it’s what I want.”

Under Roberts, LA marked their 2024 season with an 8-32 record by finishing 6th in the West. Though playoffs slipped through their chances in the last season, the 2025 season, with Kelsey Plum’s addition to the roster, could promise a playoff berth contention for the Sparks.

Los Angeles Sparks Assistant Coach

The following are the assistant coaches under head coach Lynne Roberts’ coaching staff at the LA Sparks:

• Nikki Blue: Nikki Blue is a former WNBA player who had previously played for the Washington Mystics and the New York Liberty. She has been an assistant coach for universities such as UNLV, Cal State Bakersfield, Grand Canyon, and Arizona State. Furthermore, she was also an assistant coach for the Phoenix Mercury from 2022-23 and briefly served as the team’s interim head coach as well.
• Zak Buncik: Zak Buncik is an assistant coach under Lynne Roberts’ coaching staff at the LA Sparks. He has spent nine seasons as an assistant coach for the UT Arlington men’s basketball team under head coach Scott Cross from 2010-2018.

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Los Angeles Sparks Owner

The Los Angeles Sparks was first owned by the Lakers’ owner Jerry Buss, who operated the franchise as a sister franchise to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Buss family remained at the helm of the Sparks’ ownership until 2006. Since then, several owners have changed, the most recent being the Sparks LA Sports Group. This group is owned by Lakers legend Magic Johnson, Mark Walter, Stan Kasten, Todd Boehly, Bobby Patton, and Eric Holoman.

Los Angeles Spark Famous Players

Here are some of the most famous players in the WNBA emerging out of the LA Sparks roster:

Candace Parker

Candace Parker is widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players ever. She was selected as the first overall pick by the Sparks in the 2008 WNBA draft. She spent 13 seasons with the Sparks, earning several personal records and accolades in the WNBA. She won the WNBA championship with the Sparks in 2016.

Nikki Teasley

Nikki Teasley played with the Sparks for two seasons, from 2002 to 2005. She was a flashy guard who helped the Sparks win their second consecutive title by hitting a clutch three-pointer in the final seconds. She has won the 2002 WNBA championship with the LA Sparks.

Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie was part of the first LA Sparks roster in 1997 and remained with the team till 2009. She is a 3x WNBA MVP and spent her entire career with the Sparks before hanging her shoes in 2009. She has won two consecutive championships in LA in 2001 and 2002, where she was crowned the Finals MVP both times.

Tina Thompson

Tina Thompson is an LA native who joined the Sparks after the Houston Comets folded in 2008. In 2009, she played alongside Candace Parker and Lisa Leslie. She is a 4x NBA champion and became the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer, passing Lisa Leslie.

Kelsey Plum

Kelsey Plum is the most recent addition to the Sparks’ roster. She was part of the Las Vegas Aces roster until 2024 before being traded to LA in the WNBA 2025 free agency. Kelsey Plum brings in the experience of winning two championship titles and could very well bolster the defense for LA in the upcoming season.

Los Angeles Sparks – Arena/Stadium

The Cyrpto.Com Arena (formerly known as the Staples Center) has been the home of the LA Sparks since 2001. The Sparks shared their previous arena, The Forum, with the Lakers and continued to do so at the Crypto.com Arena as well. The Arena can house 19,079 fans while hosting basketball games, with the capacity being similar for the Lakers and the Sparks.

The court is named after franchise legend Lisa Leslie for the games Sparks plays. The court was named prior to the Sparks’ 2009 home opener against the Detroit Shock on June 23, 2006.

Los Angeles Sparks Stats and Records

The following are the stats and records of the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA. One can very well notice that Lisa Leslie was a crucial part of the Sparks’ successes until her retirement in 2009. Other players, such as Candace Parker, have also been integral to LA’s successes in the W over the years. Here’s a breakdown of LA’s key events over the years, as per Basketball Reference data:

Los Angeles Sparks Jersey and Logo

The Sparks logo has evolved over the years in the WNBA. However, the logo has always represented the city of Los Angeles and was inspired by the logo of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers.

The team’s logo was changed to its current one in 2021, the first time in 25 years. It features the team’s location in italics, and the second L in Los Angeles resembles the trunk of a palm tree with purple and yellow fronds.

Los Angeles Sparks Jersey

The Sparks’ jerseys have evolved over time but have usually been gold for home kits, with the away kits usually being purple. The numbers on the jerseys are white in color with either a purple or gold trim.

As per the Sparks’ website, the colors represent ‘City of Champions,’ inspired by the jersey colors of the Los Angeles Lakers.

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Los Angeles Sparks Retired Jersey

The LA SParks have retired only two jerseys so far despite having many great players in the franchise’s history. The franchise has retired the jerseys of Lisa Leslie, who wore number 9, and Penny Toler, who wore number 11. While Lisa Leslie was one of the greatest players in the franchise’s history, Penny Toler was crucial in shaping the franchise in its early seasons, from 1997 to 1999.

Los Angeles Sparks Mascot

The mascot of Los Angeles Sparks is Sparky The Dog. Sparky is an extremely charming and charismatic mascot and can be seen on the court during the Sparks’ games. Sparky debuted at the start of the 2007 season and is well known for his dance moves and t-shirt tosses.

Los Angeles Sparks Rivalries

The LA Sparks had rivalries with the Detroit Shock in the past, whom they faced in the 2003 WNBA Finals. The rivalries were further intense due to the relationship between Sparks coach Michael Cooper and Shock’s head coach Bill Laimbeer.

Furthermore, they also had rivalries with the Minnesota Lynx, including when they faced each other back-to-back in the 2016 and 2017 WNBA Finals. A potential rivalry could shape up with the Golden State Valkyries, the Bay Area’s newest WNBA franchise in the WNBA 2025 expansion.

Los Angeles Sparks Instagram

The LA Sparks has a great PR team that knows how to brand and market the franchise in the most efficient manner possible. The Sparks have 417K followers on their Instagram page, where they can often be seen engaging with their fans and posting content about their players and everything basketball.

Los Angeles Sparks Other Social Presence

The Los Angeles Lakers have their social media accounts on the following platforms:

• X: @LASparks
• Facebook: Los Angeles Sparks
• YouTube: Los Angeles Sparks

Besides engaging on social media, Sparks also has several community-building programs that help it engage with its fans on a broader level. They have several programs, such as Adopt-A-Youth Team, Ole Skool Crew, and host camps and clinics as well to engage better with their fans and audiences.

The Sparks also sells a series of merchandise on the WNBA’s official website and at the Crypto.com Arena as well.

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