The Los Angeles Sparks have seen enough from Lynne Roberts. After two straight sub .500 seasons under Roberts, the Sparks announced Friday they've fired the 51-year-old coach.
Los Angeles finished second to last in the WNBA in both turnovers and rebounding this season, preventing them from making a Western Conference push despite a productive campaign from Nneka Ogwumike.
“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.”
Roberts came to the Sparks in November 2024 after a lengthy stint at Utah. She left the Utes four games into the 2024-25 season with an eye toward turning around a Sparks franchise that went four years without a playoff appearance, and instead the drought extended to six seasons.
Here are five coaching candidates who could possibly replace Roberts in Los Angeles.
Cori Close, UCLA head coach
After reaching the collegiate mountaintop with a national championship at UCLA, perhaps Close tries her hand at the WNBA. This one's unlikely, however, as UCLA holds a special place in Close's heart. That's where she began her coaching career in the 1990s, and John Wooden mentored her during those years.
Jenny Boucek, Indiana Pacers assistant coach
A longtime collaborator with Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, Boucek has spent the last five seasons in Indiana. She had a brief but rather unsuccessful stint as the Seattle Storm's head coach from 2015-17. A Boucek hiring would continue the recent trend of NBA assistants getting WNBA head coaching jobs, with Chris DeMarco, Alex Sarama and Nate Tibbetts being the notable examples.
Brittni Donaldson, Portland Fire assistant coach/assistant GM
Donaldson is a rising star in both coaching and front office circles because of her unique ability to blend player development and analytics. She became an assistant coach of the Toronto Raptors at age 26 then had stints with the Detroit Pistons and Atlanta Hawks before taking on her dual role in Portland.
Eric Thibault, Minnesota Lynx associate head coach
The son of former WNBA coach Mike Thibault, Eric got fired as the Washington Mystics coach two seasons after taking over for his father in November 2022. He's since become a vital member of Cheryl Reeve's staff in Minnesota, where he very could win a title in a few weeks.
Kristi Toliver, Phoenix Mercury associate head coach
Toliver is a three-time WNBA All-Star who's spent the last three seasons as the Phoenix Mercury's associate head coach. She made history in 2018 by becoming the first active WNBA player to coach in the NBA, as she served as an assistant for the Washington Wizards.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 5 Sparks coaching candidates after Lynne Roberts firing
