The Los Angeles Sparks are making more leadership changes after another disappointing WNBA season.
On Friday, Sept. 25, the Sparks fired head coach Lynne Roberts, ending her tenure after two seasons. The move comes more than two months after the organization parted ways with former general manager Raegan Pebley, who hired Roberts in November 2024.
The Sparks finished the season 16-28, the sixth consecutive season they have missed the playoffs. Overall, Los Angeles went 37-51 in Roberts’ two seasons. In her final game as head coach, Roberts got a technical foul with under 15 seconds to play as the Sparks saw a 16-point lead evaporate in a 76-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday, Sept. 24 in Los Angeles.
"We are grateful to Lynne for
the commitment and determination she brought to the role, which was evident all the way through our last game last night," Sparks Special Advisor Farhan Zaidi said in a statement. “Lynne has cared deeply about our organization and for our players and their development. We sincerely thank her for everything she has invested in the Sparks and wish her and her family the best moving forward.”
The Sparks were hampered by injuries to key players such as Cameron Brink and Kelsey Plum during Roberts’ two-season tenure, but expectations were high entering this season after the team re-signed Plum, brought back former WNBA MVP Nneka Ogwumike and traded for five-time All-Defense selection Ariel Atkins.
Still, LA struggled to find consistency and had a record of 10-11 when they fired Pebley on July 12. They then endured a six-game losing streak and traded Plum to the Phoenix Mercury on Aug. 2. The Sparks then had a second six-game losing streak between Aug. 9-20 that eliminated them from playoff contention. During that slide, Ogwumike also announced her retirement.
Since winning the WNBA Finals a decade ago with a squad coached by Bryan Agler that was led by Ogwumike and Candace Parker, the Sparks have had four different head coaches, cycling through Derek Fisher, Fred Williams, Curt Miller and Roberts.
Asked before the Sparks' final game of the season on Thursday if she thought she had done enough to be the head coach next season, Roberts said, "Yeah. I think I have. I think, again, we've had two tough years of injuries. I'm not trying to blame anything on that, it's just the reality... Just so much change. I think what this organization needs is some stability and a vision, and a direction and a plan. Not that we haven't had one, but I think now that we have people in place, you know, just give us a goal post and we'll march down the field that way."
Roberts, 51, had never previously coached in the WNBA before being hired by the Sparks. She had been a longtime college coach with stops at Utah and the University of the Pacific. Utah made the NCAA Tournament in each of Roberts’ final three seasons, a stretch that included a Pac-12 title, the program's third trip to the Sweet 16 and a ranking as high as No. 3 in the AP Top 25 Poll.
Earlier this month, the Sparks hired former Philadelphia 76ers executive Ariana Andonian as general manager. She will lead the search for a head coach for a team whose ownership group includes sports legends like Billie Jean King and Magic Johnson.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Sparks fire head coach Lynne Roberts after two seasons
