2024 Los Angeles Sparks season
WNBA team season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2024 Los Angeles Sparks season was the franchise's 28th season in the Women's National Basketball Association, and the second season under head coach Curt Miller. The season tipped off on May 15, 2024, in Long Beach versus the Atlanta Dream,[1] and ended on September 19 against the Minnesota Lynx.
Head coachCurt Miller
ArenaWalter Pyramid (Capacity: 4,000 (first two games of the season)
Crypto.com Arena
(Capacity: 19,068)
Crypto.com Arena
(Capacity: 19,068)
Record8–32 (.200)
Place6th (Western)
| 2024 Los Angeles Sparks season | |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Curt Miller |
| Arena | Walter Pyramid (Capacity: 4,000 (first two games of the season) Crypto.com Arena (Capacity: 19,068) |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–32 (.200) |
| Place | 6th (Western) |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Media | |
| Television | ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, CBS, Paramount+, CBSSN, NBA TV, ION |
The season started slowly for the Sparks as they lost both of their opening two games. They defeated Washington by two points on May 21 to earn their first win of the season. They lost the following two games including a one point loss to Dallas. They defeated Indiana before losing to Chicago to end the month with a 2–5 record. Their June started off with two losses as well. They won two games to follow including a victory at home against Last Vegas. That would be the highlight of the month as the team went on a seven game losing streak from there to finish the month with a 2–9 record. The only non-double digit loss during that streak was a 70–79 loss to Connecticut on June 18. Their losing streak extended one more game into July before they defeated Last Vegas in overtime. They would lose the next two games before defeating Dallas. They lost to Seattle to finish July 2–4 and head into the Olympic break. The Sparks lost the first six games after returning from the Olympic break before defeating New York to finish August 1–6. Well out of the playoff race, the Sparks lost the first eight games of September. The closest loss of the streak was by three-points at Seattle on September 15. The team finished the season with a win over Minnesota. The season was marred by a multitude of injuries, including a season-ending ACL tear to the team's No. 2 draft pick, Cameron Brink, who wound up missing the remainder of the season after playing just 15 games.[2] Brink's injury also caused her to miss the 2024 Summer Olympics, with her teammate Dearica Hamby taking her place on the United States women's national 3x3 team. The Sparks finished with just 8 wins and 32 losses, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and failing to improve on their 17-23 record from 2023. Their eight wins were the team's lowest total in franchise history and their 32 losses was the highest in a single season in league's history.
Transactions
WNBA draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/team/country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Cameron Brink |  United States |
Stanford |
| 1 | 4 | Rickea Jackson | United States |
Tennessee |
| 3 | 28 | McKenzie Forbes | United States |
USC |
Transactions
| Date | Transaction | |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2024 | Hired Raegan Pebley as General Manager[3] | |
| January 17, 2024 | Jasmine Thomas retired[4] | |
| January 31, 2024 | Traded the 19th pick in the 2024 WNBA draft to Seattle in exchange for Kia Nurse[5] | |
| February 1, 2024 | Re-signed Layshia Clarendon[6] | |
| Traded the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft and Jordin Canada to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for Aari McDonald and the 8th overall pick in the 2024 draft[7] | ||
| Re-signed Rae Burrell[6] | ||
| February 2, 2024 | Signed Monique Billings[8] | |
| Signed Virag Kiss to a Training Camp Contract[9] | ||
| Signed Taylor Mikesell to a Training Camp Contract[10] | ||
| February 6, 2024 | Signed Lexie Brown to an Extension[11] | |
| February 21, 2024 | Traded the 8th overall pick in the 2024 draft to Chicago in exchange for Julie Allemand, the rights to Li Yueru and a third round pick in the 2025 draft.[12] | |
| March 21, 2024 | Hired Christine Monjer as President[13] | |
| April 17, 2024 | Signed Blake Dietrick to a Training Camp Contract[14] | |
| April 18, 2024 | Signed McKenzie Forbes to a Rookie Contract[15] | |
| April 19, 2024 | Signed Rickea Jackson to a Rookie Contract[15] | |
| April 20, 2024 | Signed Cameron Brink to a Rookie Contract[15] | |
| April 30, 2024 | Waived Virág Kiss[16] | |
| May 6, 2024 | Waived Taylor Mikesell[17] | |
| May 12, 2024 | Waived Nia Clouden, Blake Dietrick, and McKenzie Forbes | |
| May 13, 2024 | Suspended the contract of Julie Allemand (full season)[18] | |
| Waived Monique Billings[19] | ||
| June 22, 2024 | Signed Queen Egbo to hardship contract[20] | |
| June 29, 2024 | Waived Queen Egbo | |
| July 4, 2024 | Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a 7-day hardship contract[21] | |
| July 12, 2024 | Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a second 7-day contract[15] | |
| Suspended the contract of Li Yueru (temporary) | ||
| August 7, 2024 | Activated Li Yueru[15] | |
| August 16, 2024 | Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a third 7-day contract[15] | |
| August 17, 2024 | Signed Odyssey Sims to 7-day contract | |
| August 22, 2024 | Signed Azurá Stevens and Stephanie Talbot to extensions through 2025[22][23] | |
| Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a rest of season contract[24] | ||
| August 24, 2024 | Signed Odyssey Sims to a second 7-day contract[25] | |
| August 31, 2024 | Released Odyssey Sims and signed Simms to a 7-day contract | |
| September 7, 2024 | Released Odyssey Sims and signed Simms to a rest-of-season contract | |
| September 20, 2024 | Layshia Clarendon announced their retirement|[26] | |
| September 24, 2024 | Head coach, Curt Miller, was fired | |
Roster changes
Additions
|
Subtractions
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Roster
| 2024 Los Angeles Sparks roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Depth chart
Schedule
Pre-season
| 2024 pre-season game log Total: 2–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 2–0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 2–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 2–0)
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 pre-season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Regular season
| 2024 game log Total: 8–32 (Home: 5–15; Road: 3–17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
May: 2–5 (Home: 1–3; Road: 1–2)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
June: 2–9 (Home: 2–1; Road: 0–8)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
July
: 2–4 (Home: 1–4; Road: 1–0)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
August
: 1–6 (Home: 1–2; Road: 0–4)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
September
: 1–8 (Home: 0–5; Road: 1–3)
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Standings
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yx – New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | — | 16–4 | 16–4 | 16–4 | 5–0 |
| 2 | cx – Minnesota Lynx | 30 | 10 | .750 | 2 | 14–6 | 16–4 | 14–6 | 4–1 |
| 3 | x – Connecticut Sun | 28 | 12 | .700 | 4 | 14–6 | 14–6 | 14–6 | 4–1 |
| 4 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 27 | 13 | .675 | 5 | 12–8 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 2–3 |
| 5 | x – Seattle Storm | 25 | 15 | .625 | 7 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 11–9 | 4–1 |
| 6 | x – Indiana Fever | 20 | 20 | .500 | 12 | 11–9 | 12–8 | 8–12 | 3–2 |
| 7 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 21 | .475 | 13 | 10–10 | 10–10 | 9–11 | 3–2 |
| 8 | x – Atlanta Dream | 15 | 25 | .375 | 17 | 7–13 | 8–12 | 7–13 | 1–4 |
| 9 | e – Washington Mystics | 14 | 26 | .350 | 18 | 7–13 | 5–15 | 9–11 | 1–4 |
| 10 | e – Chicago Sky | 13 | 27 | .325 | 19 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 1–4 |
| 11 | e – Dallas Wings | 9 | 31 | .225 | 23 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–18 | 0–5 |
| 12 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 8 | 32 | .200 | 24 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 3–17 | 2–3 |
Notes
- (#) – League Standing
- c – Commissioner's Cup winners
- y – Regular Season Champion
- x – Clinched playoff berth
- e – Eliminated from playoff contention
- Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings
Statistics
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
| PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader | ||||
Regular season
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PF | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dearica Hamby | 40 | 40 | 33.7 | .512 | .341 | .631 | 9.2 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 17.3 |
| Rickea Jackson | 40 | 35 | 28.8 | .456 | .347 | .807 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 13.4 |
| Odyssey Sims ≠ | 15 | 10 | 26.3 | .438 | .154 | .838 | 1.7 | 5.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 9.8 |
| Azurá Stevens | 20 | 19 | 24.7 | .399 | .350 | .815 | 7.0 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 9.6 |
| Aari McDonald | 26 | 10 | 21.8 | .403 | .319 | .843 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 8.7 |
| Lexie Brown | 16 | 8 | 23.7 | .321 | .304 | .889 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 8.1 |
| Kia Nurse | 40 | 27 | 20.3 | .388 | .331 | .793 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 7.6 |
| Cameron Brink | 15 | 15 | 22.0 | .398 | .323 | .840 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 7.5 |
| Rae Burrell | 37 | 7 | 15.6 | .362 | .333 | .780 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 5.9 |
| Li Yueru | 38 | 2 | 14.4 | .463 | .267 | .898 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 5.1 |
| Layshia Clarendon | 21 | 12 | 16.0 | .427 | .350 | .870 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 4.3 |
| Zia Cooke | 29 | 0 | 8.9 | .321 | .297 | .690 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 3.6 |
| Stephanie Talbot | 37 | 10 | 16.2 | .395 | .260 | .690 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.5 |
| Crystal Dangerfield ≠ | 18 | 5 | 12.8 | .286 | .308 | .667 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 3.3 |
| Queen Egbo ≠ ‡ | 2 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.000 | — | — | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dearica Hamby | Western Conference Player of the Week | June 11, 2024 | [27] |
| WNBA All-Star | July 2, 2024 | [28] | |
| AP Most Improved Player | September 22, 2024 | [29] | |
| Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award | October 2, 2024 | [30] | |
| Rickea Jackson | AP All-Rookie Team | September 22, 2024 | [29] |
| WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 3, 2024 | [31] |