The Sparks have one goal this year: to win. And while that may sound obvious, the team is coming off a 2024 campaign where that only happened eight times.
But with a new coach in Lynne Roberts, a new marquee player in Kelsey Plum, and an ever-increasing buzz surrounding women’s basketball in Los Angeles, the stage is certainly set for a different type of season.
In Monday’s press conference, coach Roberts echoed the sentiment she shared in her introductory remarks: there’s no time like the present, and she’s not just “happy to be here.” She told reporters this week, “I don’t like the term rebuild, […] I think we’re where we want to be to start really competing,” later adding, “I want to win. It’s that simple.” On Tuesday, she told reporters again, “We want to compete. And every time we put on that jersey, we want to play to win.”
It was clear in conversations throughout Sparks media day that her commitment and sentiment is shared by her players. When asked about their individual goals for the season, both Kelsey Plum and Rickea Jackson steered the question back to team success. “Your ability to impact winning is going to directly affect your individual success,” Plum said. “My focus is trying to affect winning.”
When asked about what she wants to accomplish personally this season, Jackson kept it short: “Just to win. I feel like if we’re winning, everything else will take care of itself.”
And while the need to win now echoed through Crypto.com Arena, there was an element of realism as well in this week’s conversation.
“We are really working hard to make sure that we’re building to a win-now mentality, but also win in the future. And there’s a balance,” general manager Raegan Pebley told reporters.
Her players felt the same, adjusting to a new style of offense and many to a new team. Veteran guard Odyssey Sims told reporters, “It’s not going to happen overnight. We do have a new coach. We have a completely different system from last year,” adding “We’re going to have our ups and downs, but I feel like we’ve just got to weather the storm.”
New offensive schemes
Coach Roberts has often been touted for her offensive production, which is one of the key factors that got her the role in Los Angeles. At Utah, she honed an analytical approach, finding statistical categories that impact winning the most, and leaning in there: namely, three three-pointers and what she calls “high-value shots.” For a Sparks team that was last in the league in points per 100 possessions last season, change can’t come soon enough.
For Plum, the most attractive parts of Coach Roberts’ offensive scheme are “playing in space, […] pushing it in transition, playing with a ton of pace.” While she noted that there will be a transition period as players adjust to this style of offense, she added, “When it clicks, it’s going to be wonderful.”
Rookie Sarah Ashlee Barker, who was selected by the Sparks ninth overall last month, was brought in largely due to her strength as a “3 and D” player: her ability to hold opponents to a low field goal percentage while also shooting well herself. They were searching for a player who could spot up for those high-value shots Roberts loves, playing alongside slashers like Plum, Jackson, and Odyssey Sims, who are strong off the dribble.
“Coach Roberts’ system fits our team very well,” the rookie told reporters as training camp came to a close. “We’re a very versatile team, pretty big. We got big guards, but we also have quick, small guards as well, mobile posts, so I think with the system she does a really good job enhancing everybody’s strengths and playing with quickness,” later adding that the team’s youth – they have six current players under the age of 24 – will make them successful in the fast-paced play that Roberts coaches so well.
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Reunited and it feels so good
The Sparks’ major move this offseason was the acquisition of Kelsey Plum, the two-time WNBA champion, Olympic gold medalist, and three-time WNBA All-Star. Accolades aside, a huge benefit of adding Plum is her relationship with Sparks forward Dearica Hamby. They won a Championship together in Las Vegas in 2022 and have remained close friends and supporters of one another since.
For a team that struggled with consistency at the guard spot last year, Plum promises veteran leadership, pace, and a next-level competitiveness that was lacking. On-court chemistry with Hamby is certainly a huge bonus. Coach Roberts shared, “I can call something, and then those two are sort of whispering about how they’re going to run an audible, and it almost always works.”
Last season, Hamby led the Sparks with 17.3 points per game, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists, carrying a heavy load as the team’s unequivocal star and leader. Adding Plum to the roster not only means better passes, options, and plays for Hamby, but also means the ability to share some of the leadership responsibilities Hamby has shouldered for this young team – she noted that she’s found that while Kelsey and veterans like Emma Cannon can be a bit more “fierce in their approach.”
Plum told reporters this week that she finds Hamby to be an underrated player, playing what she believes to be the toughest position in the league, and delivering on both ends of the floor, and consistently playing with heart, energy, and hunger to win.
“It’s a full circle moment for the both of us,” Hamby told reporters, referencing past prank wars – which didn’t always end well – and the fun she has with “KP” on the court. “We have big plans for the season, big goals, and we’re more focused on that and how we can come together to make that successful.”
Plum shares her sentiment. “We’ve seen D impact winning at the highest level,” she said. “It’s really cool to be able to partner with her here now to be able to do it together.”
When asked to expand on what drew her away from her major success in Las Vegas to a developing Sparks team, Plum commended the team’s vision: “What really drew me was the vision of what Coach sees for this franchise, but also what management and ownership sees for this franchise. […] For me, the visions have aligned, and I understand that I’m here to not only build culture but affect winning.” She went on to note that with the new CBA coming next year, this year is particularly important. “There’s no time to wait.”
Young talent meets veteran leadership
In addition to rookie draft picks Sarah Ashlee Barker and Sania Feagin, the Sparks return guards Rae Burrell and Jackson, both of whom played large roles in 2024 and spent the offseason in the fast-paced 3×3 world of Unrivaled.
In her third season with the Sparks, Burrell expanded her role significantly, becoming a key player off the bench and starting seven games in the midst of guard injuries. Over the course of the season, her minutes and production increased significantly, and she was key in wins over Las Vegas and New York, constantly praised for her energy, growth, and enthusiasm. At the close of the season, she noted she was going to continue to work on consistency, especially from beyond the three-point arc. Coach Roberts has noticed, praising her growth in three-point percentage, and calls Burrell “a big part of what we’re trying to do.”
Jackson, who clearly plays a big role in the team’s culture – and was one player mentioned repeatedly in the heated debate at media day about the goofiest person on the team – will certainly continue to be a key to the Sparks’ success. She averaged 13.7 points per game in Unrivaled’s inaugural season, following a WNBA season where she had to consistently adapt and play new roles as a first-year player.
In conversations with reporters throughout media day, Burrell, Jackson, and other young players consistently mentioned “leaning on their vets,” referring to clear leaders Hamby and Plum as well as players like Azura Stevens and Sims, who returns to the Sparks after finishing the season on a hardship contract last year, as well as Cannon and Mercedes Russell, who joined the Sparks this offseason.
Russell, who has won two championships as a bench player for the Seattle Storm, noted that the Sparks prioritized adding players who have “experience in the league and experience in the playoffs, bringing that to LA to help them improve in all areas.”
When asked about her leadership style, Plum noted, “I’m definitely a little bit more in the empowerment stage, encouraging and just making sure I lead by example. Just my energy and attention to detail and just really trying to empower people and make people feel like the best version of themselves. […] People remember how you make them feel, so I just want everyone around me to feel empowered, so that’s been my focus since I’ve been here.”
Cameron Brink, who is set to return mid-season, also promises depth in the post alongside Hamby, Stevens, and Russell.
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Onwards and upwards
Overall, this year’s Sparks media day carried a level of optimism that certainly dwindled at the close of last season. But with the return of Cameron Brink, the offseason developments of players like Burrell and Jackson, and the reuniting of Plum and Hamby, 2025 promises to look significantly different.
“The reason I was put in this position was to carry a heavier load,” Plum told reporters this week. “And I have broad shoulders.”
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