Los Angeles Sparks
Encyclopedia
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball
team based in Los Angeles
, California
, playing in the Western Conference
in the Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season
began. The team is owned by Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison, majority owner) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (minority owners). Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Los Angeles Clippers
.
The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs
in eleven of their fourteen years in Los Angeles. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as 6 foot 5 inch center Lisa Leslie
, Tennessee
standout Candace Parker
, flashy point guard Nikki Teasley
and nearby USC
product Tina Thompson
. In 2001, 2002
and 2003
, the Sparks went to the WNBA Finals
. They won the title in 2001 and 2002, beating Charlotte
and New York
, respectively, but fell short to Detroit
in 2003.
Being in a major national market, the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league; they faced New York in the league's inaugural game on June 21, 1997. Like the Tulsa Shock, the Sparks are one of the two WNBA franchises whose city also has an NBA D-League team, the D-Fenders
.
, the league's first, opened with a game between the Sparks and the New York Liberty
at the Sparks home (The Forum
) in Inglewood
. The Sparks lost the game 57-67. Sparks player Penny Toler
scored the league's first two points with a lay-up 59 seconds into the game. The Sparks had what many considered to be a disappointing season in 1997, finishing with a record of 14–14. The team did compete for a playoff spot, but because of a loss to the Phoenix Mercury
in the final game of the season, the Sparks missed the playoffs. In the 1998 WNBA season
, the Sparks finished 12–18, missing the playoffs once more.
The 1999 season
featured the development of Lisa Leslie
and the Sparks' first playoff berth, as the Sparks posted a 20–12 record. The Sparks won their first playoff game and series with a win over the Sacramento Monarchs
. They played a competitive Western Conference
Finals but fell to the defending champion Houston Comets
, 2 games to 1, in the three-game series.
The 2000 season
was a record one, as the Sparks tore up the WNBA with a 28–4 record, the best in league history, and second only to the 1998 Houston Comets
for best all-time. In the playoffs, the Sparks swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round but lost in the Western Conference Finals again, when they were swept by the Comets. Ultimately, the Sparks were playing in the shadow of the Comets, as they won the first four WNBA championships
.
and an important coaching change, when the Sparks hired former Los Angeles Lakers
player Michael Cooper as head coach. During the ensuing regular season, the Sparks again posted a 28–4 record. In the 2001 playoffs, the Sparks finally eliminated the Comets, sweeping them in the first round. The Sparks took all three games to eliminate the Monarchs to earn their first berth in the WNBA Finals
, in which they swept the Charlotte Sting
, 2–0, for their first league championship.
In 2002, Leslie became the first woman in the league to dunk the ball during a game, and once again the Sparks dominated the regular season, posting a 25–7 record. The Sparks then flew through the playoffs, sweeping both the Seattle Storm
and the Utah Starzz
. In the finals, the Sparks were matched against the Liberty, who were still looking for their first championship. A late three in game 2 by Nikki Teasley
gave the Sparks their second consecutive championship.
and Sacramento Monarchs
. The Sparks then faced the upstart Detroit Shock
in the Finals. The Shock were on a roll after having been the worst team in the WNBA in 2002
. The Finals were a battle fueled by the relationship between head coaches Michael Cooper (Sparks) and Bill Laimbeer
(Shock) which stemmed back to their days in the NBA
. The rough road to the finals and the tough play of the Shock wore down the Sparks, which lost the series, two games to one, and failed to three-peat.
and Teresa Weatherspoon
, both of whom had played for the rival New York Liberty
. When the season began, the Sparks got off to a great start, but coach Cooper left at midseason to seek a coaching job in the NBA
. The loss of their coach was a factor in the team's so-so finish to the season, which ended with a record of 25–9. During the playoffs, the team stumbled, losing in three games to the Sacramento Monarchs
.
The Sparks stumbled and never recovered through the 2005 season and finished with a 17–17 record. They barely made the playoffs; they received the number-four seed. In the first round, the Sparks were outplayed and swept by the eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs
.
In 2006, the Sparks played much better, posting a 25–9 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle Storm
in three games. However, in the Western Conference finals, the Sparks' season was ended by the Monarchs for the third year in a row.
, who also owned the Lakers, announced he was selling the Sparks. On December 7, 2006, the Los Angeles Times
reported the sale to an investor group led by Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson. Goodman is currently a high school
teacher at HighTech-LA in Lake Balboa and was a former executive for Intermedia Films. Christofferson is a litigation attorney
for the O’Melveny & Myers law firm and was Miss North Dakota USA
in 1989. The day after the sale was announced, team star Lisa Leslie announced that she was pregnant and would not play in the WNBA in the 2007 season despite Michael Cooper's return to the team as head coach.
The loss of Leslie for the year proved devastating, as the Sparks posted a league-worst 10–24 record. The record was also the worst in Sparks history, as the Sparks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
, the college player of the year, the morning after Parker had led the University of Tennessee
Lady Vols to their second-straight NCAA championship.
In 2008, the Sparks posted a 20-14 record and finished third in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm
2-1 to reach the Western Conference Finals and compete against the San Antonio Silver Stars
. The Sparks were on track to win game 2 of the series, but Silver Star Sophia Young
made a turn around bank-shot with a second left on the clock to force the series to a deciding game three. The Sparks lost game three, and the Silver Stars moved on to the WNBA Finals
.
Following the 2008 season, Parker announced that she was pregnant. To compensate for Parker's absence, the Sparks signed free agent Tina Thompson
who was from former rival Houston Comets
. Thompson, the four-time WNBA champ and eight-time WNBA All-Star, also went to college with Leslie at USC
.
The 2009 season started poorly for the Sparks. Candace Parker began the season on maternity leave, and Lisa Leslie suffered a knee injury early in the season. Both Leslie and Parker returned to the court in July, however, sparking a 10-2 run which turned an 8-14 start into an 18-16 regular season record and clinching the Sparks' tenth playoff appearance in their 13-year history. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sparks defeated the Seattle Storm for the third time in 4 years. In the Western Conference Finals, the Sparks' lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury
in 3 games. The end of the 2009 playoff run marked the end of Leslie's career as a player and Cooper's second tenure as Sparks' head coach. In the offseason, former Sparks player Jennifer Gillom
became the team's new head coach.
The 2010 season began with high hopes for the Sparks. Led by former All-Star point guard Ticha Penicheiro
, the Sparks believed they had the pieces to contend for a championship. However, superstar Candace Parker
had season-ending shoulder surgery after the team started just 3-7. Without her, the Sparks struggled, finishing 13-21. Fortunately for the Sparks, this was good enough to qualify them for fourth place in the Western Conference, but they were swept by the eventual champion Seattle Storm
in the first round.
The 2011 season was eerily reminiscent of the previous year for the Sparks. The team started 4-3 but again Candace Parker
sustained an injury. Following three more losses, the Sparks fired head coach Jennifer Gillom
, promoting previous Sparks coach Joe Bryant
. With Parker out until the end of the season, the Sparks continued to struggle, heading into the All-Star break
6-8 and in fifth place.
in Los Angeles
, California
. The capacity for a Sparks game is 13,141 because the upper level is closed off (capacity for a Lakers
game is 18,997). The Sparks have played in the Staples Center since 2001
. Their previous home was the Great Western Forum, but the Sparks organization moved after claiming "the Forum" was the reason for the low attendance at Sparks games.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Los Angeles Sparks statistics
|- valign="top"
|
|-
|
|-
|
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball
team based in Los Angeles
, California
, playing in the Western Conference
in the Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season
began. The team is owned by Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison, majority owner) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (minority owners). Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Los Angeles Clippers
.
The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs
in eleven of their fourteen years in Los Angeles. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as 6 foot 5 inch center Lisa Leslie
, Tennessee
standout Candace Parker
, flashy point guard Nikki Teasley
and nearby USC
product Tina Thompson
. In 2001, 2002
and 2003
, the Sparks went to the WNBA Finals
. They won the title in 2001 and 2002, beating Charlotte
and New York
, respectively, but fell short to Detroit
in 2003.
Being in a major national market, the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league; they faced New York in the league's inaugural game on June 21, 1997. Like the Tulsa Shock, the Sparks are one of the two WNBA franchises whose city also has an NBA D-League team, the D-Fenders
.
, the league's first, opened with a game between the Sparks and the New York Liberty
at the Sparks home (The Forum
) in Inglewood
. The Sparks lost the game 57-67. Sparks player Penny Toler
scored the league's first two points with a lay-up 59 seconds into the game. The Sparks had what many considered to be a disappointing season in 1997, finishing with a record of 14–14. The team did compete for a playoff spot, but because of a loss to the Phoenix Mercury
in the final game of the season, the Sparks missed the playoffs. In the 1998 WNBA season
, the Sparks finished 12–18, missing the playoffs once more.
The 1999 season
featured the development of Lisa Leslie
and the Sparks' first playoff berth, as the Sparks posted a 20–12 record. The Sparks won their first playoff game and series with a win over the Sacramento Monarchs
. They played a competitive Western Conference
Finals but fell to the defending champion Houston Comets
, 2 games to 1, in the three-game series.
The 2000 season
was a record one, as the Sparks tore up the WNBA with a 28–4 record, the best in league history, and second only to the 1998 Houston Comets
for best all-time. In the playoffs, the Sparks swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round but lost in the Western Conference Finals again, when they were swept by the Comets. Ultimately, the Sparks were playing in the shadow of the Comets, as they won the first four WNBA championships
.
and an important coaching change, when the Sparks hired former Los Angeles Lakers
player Michael Cooper as head coach. During the ensuing regular season, the Sparks again posted a 28–4 record. In the 2001 playoffs, the Sparks finally eliminated the Comets, sweeping them in the first round. The Sparks took all three games to eliminate the Monarchs to earn their first berth in the WNBA Finals
, in which they swept the Charlotte Sting
, 2–0, for their first league championship.
In 2002, Leslie became the first woman in the league to dunk the ball during a game, and once again the Sparks dominated the regular season, posting a 25–7 record. The Sparks then flew through the playoffs, sweeping both the Seattle Storm
and the Utah Starzz
. In the finals, the Sparks were matched against the Liberty, who were still looking for their first championship. A late three in game 2 by Nikki Teasley
gave the Sparks their second consecutive championship.
and Sacramento Monarchs
. The Sparks then faced the upstart Detroit Shock
in the Finals. The Shock were on a roll after having been the worst team in the WNBA in 2002
. The Finals were a battle fueled by the relationship between head coaches Michael Cooper (Sparks) and Bill Laimbeer
(Shock) which stemmed back to their days in the NBA
. The rough road to the finals and the tough play of the Shock wore down the Sparks, which lost the series, two games to one, and failed to three-peat.
and Teresa Weatherspoon
, both of whom had played for the rival New York Liberty
. When the season began, the Sparks got off to a great start, but coach Cooper left at midseason to seek a coaching job in the NBA
. The loss of their coach was a factor in the team's so-so finish to the season, which ended with a record of 25–9. During the playoffs, the team stumbled, losing in three games to the Sacramento Monarchs
.
The Sparks stumbled and never recovered through the 2005 season and finished with a 17–17 record. They barely made the playoffs; they received the number-four seed. In the first round, the Sparks were outplayed and swept by the eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs
.
In 2006, the Sparks played much better, posting a 25–9 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle Storm
in three games. However, in the Western Conference finals, the Sparks' season was ended by the Monarchs for the third year in a row.
, who also owned the Lakers, announced he was selling the Sparks. On December 7, 2006, the Los Angeles Times
reported the sale to an investor group led by Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson. Goodman is currently a high school
teacher at HighTech-LA in Lake Balboa and was a former executive for Intermedia Films. Christofferson is a litigation attorney
for the O’Melveny & Myers law firm and was Miss North Dakota USA
in 1989. The day after the sale was announced, team star Lisa Leslie announced that she was pregnant and would not play in the WNBA in the 2007 season despite Michael Cooper's return to the team as head coach.
The loss of Leslie for the year proved devastating, as the Sparks posted a league-worst 10–24 record. The record was also the worst in Sparks history, as the Sparks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
, the college player of the year, the morning after Parker had led the University of Tennessee
Lady Vols to their second-straight NCAA championship.
In 2008, the Sparks posted a 20-14 record and finished third in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm
2-1 to reach the Western Conference Finals and compete against the San Antonio Silver Stars
. The Sparks were on track to win game 2 of the series, but Silver Star Sophia Young
made a turn around bank-shot with a second left on the clock to force the series to a deciding game three. The Sparks lost game three, and the Silver Stars moved on to the WNBA Finals
.
Following the 2008 season, Parker announced that she was pregnant. To compensate for Parker's absence, the Sparks signed free agent Tina Thompson
who was from former rival Houston Comets
. Thompson, the four-time WNBA champ and eight-time WNBA All-Star, also went to college with Leslie at USC
.
The 2009 season started poorly for the Sparks. Candace Parker began the season on maternity leave, and Lisa Leslie suffered a knee injury early in the season. Both Leslie and Parker returned to the court in July, however, sparking a 10-2 run which turned an 8-14 start into an 18-16 regular season record and clinching the Sparks' tenth playoff appearance in their 13-year history. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sparks defeated the Seattle Storm for the third time in 4 years. In the Western Conference Finals, the Sparks' lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury
in 3 games. The end of the 2009 playoff run marked the end of Leslie's career as a player and Cooper's second tenure as Sparks' head coach. In the offseason, former Sparks player Jennifer Gillom
became the team's new head coach.
The 2010 season began with high hopes for the Sparks. Led by former All-Star point guard Ticha Penicheiro
, the Sparks believed they had the pieces to contend for a championship. However, superstar Candace Parker
had season-ending shoulder surgery after the team started just 3-7. Without her, the Sparks struggled, finishing 13-21. Fortunately for the Sparks, this was good enough to qualify them for fourth place in the Western Conference, but they were swept by the eventual champion Seattle Storm
in the first round.
The 2011 season was eerily reminiscent of the previous year for the Sparks. The team started 4-3 but again Candace Parker
sustained an injury. Following three more losses, the Sparks fired head coach Jennifer Gillom
, promoting previous Sparks coach Joe Bryant
. With Parker out until the end of the season, the Sparks continued to struggle, heading into the All-Star break
6-8 and in fifth place.
in Los Angeles
, California
. The capacity for a Sparks game is 13,141 because the upper level is closed off (capacity for a Lakers
game is 18,997). The Sparks have played in the Staples Center since 2001
. Their previous home was the Great Western Forum, but the Sparks organization moved after claiming "the Forum" was the reason for the low attendance at Sparks games.
|-
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 10%;"| Season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 8%;" | Team
!rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 12%;" | Conference
!colspan="3" style="background:#eee; width: 15%;"| Regular season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 30%;"| Playoff
Results
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 13%;"| Head coach
|-
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|W
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|L
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|PCT
|-
|colspan="9" align=center bgcolor="#5c2f83" | Los Angeles Sparks
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1997
| 1997
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 2nd
| 14
| 14
| .500
| Did not qualify
| L. Sharp
(4–7)
J. Rousseau (10–7)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1998
| 1998
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 3rd
| 12
| 18
| .400
| Did not qualify
| J. Rousseau (7–13)
O. Woolridge
(5–5)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1999
| 1999
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 2nd
| 20
| 12
| .625
| Won Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
, 1–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
, 1–2)
| Orlando Woolridge
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2000
| 2000
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Phoenix
, 2–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
, 0–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2001
| 2001
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Houston
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
, 2–1)
Won WNBA Finals (Charlotte
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2002
| 2002
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 25
| 7
| .781
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Utah
, 2–0)
Won WNBA Finals (New York
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2003
| 2003
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 24
| 10
| .706
| Won Conference Semifinals (Minnesota
, 2–1)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
, 2–1)
Lost WNBA Finals (Detroit
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2004
| 2004
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
, 1–2)
| M. Cooper (14–6)
K. Thompson (11–3)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2005
| 2005
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 4th
| 17
| 17
| .500
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
, 0–2)
| H. Bibby
(13–16)
J. Bryant
(4–1)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2006
| 2006
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Sacramento
, 0–2)
| Joe Bryant
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2007
| 2007
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 7th
| 10
| 24
| .294
| Did not qualify
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2008
| 2008
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 3rd
| 20
| 14
| .588
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (San Antonio
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2009
| 2009
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 3rd
| 18
| 16
| .529
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Phoenix
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2010
| 2010
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 4th
| 13
| 21
| .382
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 0–2)
| Jennifer Gillom
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2011
| 2011
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 5th
| 15
| 19
| .441
| Did not qualify
| J. Gillom
(4–6)
J. Bryant
(11–13)
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Regular season
|style="background:#eee;"| 294
|style="background:#eee;"| 198
|style="background:#eee;"| .598
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 3 Conference Championships
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Playoffs
|style="background:#eee;"| 30
|style="background:#eee;"| 24
|style="background:#eee;"| .555
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 2 WNBA Championships
|}
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFB410" | Los Angeles Sparks head coaches
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="15%" rowspan="2" | Name
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | Start
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | End
! width="5%" rowspan="2" | Seasons
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Regular season
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Playoffs
|-
! W !! L !! PCT !! G !! W !! L !! PCT !! G
|-
| Linda Sharp || Beginning of 1997
|| July 16, 1997 || 1 || width="5%"|4 || width="5%"|7 || width="5%"|.364 || width="5%"|11 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Julie Rousseau || July 16, 1997 || July 30, 1998 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|20 || width="5%"|.459 || width="5%"|37 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Orlando Woolridge
|| July 30, 1998 || October 2, 1999 || 2 || width="5%"|25 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|.595 || width="5%"|42 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|4
|-
| Michael Cooper || October 14, 1999 || July 18, 2004 || 5 || width="5%"|119 || width="5%"|31 || width="5%"|.793 || width="5%"|150 ||width="5%"|19 || width="5%"|8 || width="5%"|.704 || width="5%"|27
|-
| Karleen Thompson || July 18, 2004 || End of 2004
|| 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.786 || width="5%"|14 ||width="5%"|1 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.333 || width="5%"|3
|-
| Henry Bibby
|| April 7, 2005 || August 22, 2005 || 1 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|16 || width="5%"|.448 || width="5%"|29 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
|| August 22, 2005 || April 4, 2007 || 2 || width="5%"|29 || width="5%"|10 || width="5%"|.744 || width="5%"|39 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|-
| Michael Cooper || April 4, 2007 || End of 2009
|| 3 || width="5%"|48 || width="5%"|54 || width="5%"|.471 || width="5%"|102 ||width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|6
|-
| Michael Cooper || colspan=2|Total || 8 || width="5%"|167 || width="5%"|85 || width="5%"|.663 || width="5%"|252 ||width="5%"|22 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|.667 || width="5%"|33
|-
| Jennifer Gillom
|| December 14, 2009 || July 11, 2011 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|27 || width="5%"|.386 || width="5%"|44 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|2
|-
| Joe Bryant
|| July 11, 2011 || Current || 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|.458 || width="5%"|24 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
|| colspan=2|Total || 3 || width="5%"|40 || width="5%"|23 || width="5%"|.635 || width="5%"|63 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|}
|}
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Los Angeles Sparks statistics
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
|-
| 1997
| L. Leslie
(15.9)
| L. Leslie
(9.5)
| P. Toler
(5.1)
| 74.0 vs 71.8
| 34.8 vs 32.9
| .446 vs .397
|-
| 1998
| L. Leslie
(19.6)
| L. Leslie
(10.2)
| P. Toler
(4.8)
| 71.6 vs 72.3
| 34.0 vs 33.3
| .416 vs .411
|-
| 1999
| L. Leslie
(15.6)
| L. Leslie
(7.8)
| M. Mabika
(3.5)
| 76.5 vs 72.4
| 33.3 vs 32.2
| .435 vs .410
|}
|-
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
|-
| 2000
| L. Leslie
(17.8)
| L. Leslie
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
(4.0)
| 75.5 vs 67.8
| 34.1 vs 30.6
| .440 vs .395
|-
| 2001
| L. Leslie
(19.5)
| L. Leslie
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
(3.9)
| 76.3 vs 67.7
| 34.5 vs 28.8
| .451 vs .392
|-
| 2002
| L. Leslie
(16.9)
| L. Leslie
(10.4)
| N. Teasley
(4.4)
| 76.6 vs 69.8
| 35.7 vs 30.0
| .445 vs .390
|-
| 2003
| L. Leslie
(18.4)
| L. Leslie
(10.0)
| N. Teasley
(6.3)
| 73.5 vs 71.5
| 33.8 vs 32.5
| .418 vs .403
|-
| 2004
| L. Leslie
(17.6)
| L. Leslie
(9.9)
| N. Teasley
(6.1)
| 73.4 vs 69.4
| 33.0 vs 31.4
| .437 vs .389
|-
| 2005
| C. Holdsclaw
(17.0)
| L. Leslie
(7.3)
| N. Teasley
(3.7)
| 68.4 vs 69.0
| 29.5 vs 30.6
| .428 vs .418
|-
| 2006
| L. Leslie
(20.0)
| L. Leslie
(9.5)
| T. Johnson
(5.0)
| 75.7 vs 72.8
| 35.4 vs 31.8
| .438 vs .400
|-
| 2007
| T. McWilliams (11.1)
| T. McWilliams (5.9)
| S. Baker
(3.2)
| 74.5 vs 79.6
| 33.5 vs 34.7
| .408 vs .431
|-
| 2008
| C. Parker
(18.5)
| C. Parker
(9.5)
| S. Bobbitt
(3.5)
| 76.4 vs 74.2
| 37.7 vs 33.1
| .424 vs .384
|-
| 2009
| L. Leslie
(15.4)
| C. Parker
(9.8)
| N. Quinn
(3.5)
| 74.5 vs 73.5
| 36.7 vs 30.9
| .430 vs .399
|}
|-
|
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball
team based in Los Angeles
, California
, playing in the Western Conference
in the Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season
began. The team is owned by Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison, majority owner) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (minority owners). Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers
and the Los Angeles Clippers
.
The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs
in eleven of their fourteen years in Los Angeles. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as 6 foot 5 inch center Lisa Leslie
, Tennessee
standout Candace Parker
, flashy point guard Nikki Teasley
and nearby USC
product Tina Thompson
. In 2001, 2002
and 2003
, the Sparks went to the WNBA Finals
. They won the title in 2001 and 2002, beating Charlotte
and New York
, respectively, but fell short to Detroit
in 2003.
Being in a major national market, the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league; they faced New York in the league's inaugural game on June 21, 1997. Like the Tulsa Shock, the Sparks are one of the two WNBA franchises whose city also has an NBA D-League team, the D-Fenders
.
, the league's first, opened with a game between the Sparks and the New York Liberty
at the Sparks home (The Forum
) in Inglewood
. The Sparks lost the game 57-67. Sparks player Penny Toler
scored the league's first two points with a lay-up 59 seconds into the game. The Sparks had what many considered to be a disappointing season in 1997, finishing with a record of 14–14. The team did compete for a playoff spot, but because of a loss to the Phoenix Mercury
in the final game of the season, the Sparks missed the playoffs. In the 1998 WNBA season
, the Sparks finished 12–18, missing the playoffs once more.
The 1999 season
featured the development of Lisa Leslie
and the Sparks' first playoff berth, as the Sparks posted a 20–12 record. The Sparks won their first playoff game and series with a win over the Sacramento Monarchs
. They played a competitive Western Conference
Finals but fell to the defending champion Houston Comets
, 2 games to 1, in the three-game series.
The 2000 season
was a record one, as the Sparks tore up the WNBA with a 28–4 record, the best in league history, and second only to the 1998 Houston Comets
for best all-time. In the playoffs, the Sparks swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round but lost in the Western Conference Finals again, when they were swept by the Comets. Ultimately, the Sparks were playing in the shadow of the Comets, as they won the first four WNBA championships
.
and an important coaching change, when the Sparks hired former Los Angeles Lakers
player Michael Cooper as head coach. During the ensuing regular season, the Sparks again posted a 28–4 record. In the 2001 playoffs, the Sparks finally eliminated the Comets, sweeping them in the first round. The Sparks took all three games to eliminate the Monarchs to earn their first berth in the WNBA Finals
, in which they swept the Charlotte Sting
, 2–0, for their first league championship.
In 2002, Leslie became the first woman in the league to dunk the ball during a game, and once again the Sparks dominated the regular season, posting a 25–7 record. The Sparks then flew through the playoffs, sweeping both the Seattle Storm
and the Utah Starzz
. In the finals, the Sparks were matched against the Liberty, who were still looking for their first championship. A late three in game 2 by Nikki Teasley
gave the Sparks their second consecutive championship.
and Sacramento Monarchs
. The Sparks then faced the upstart Detroit Shock
in the Finals. The Shock were on a roll after having been the worst team in the WNBA in 2002
. The Finals were a battle fueled by the relationship between head coaches Michael Cooper (Sparks) and Bill Laimbeer
(Shock) which stemmed back to their days in the NBA
. The rough road to the finals and the tough play of the Shock wore down the Sparks, which lost the series, two games to one, and failed to three-peat.
and Teresa Weatherspoon
, both of whom had played for the rival New York Liberty
. When the season began, the Sparks got off to a great start, but coach Cooper left at midseason to seek a coaching job in the NBA
. The loss of their coach was a factor in the team's so-so finish to the season, which ended with a record of 25–9. During the playoffs, the team stumbled, losing in three games to the Sacramento Monarchs
.
The Sparks stumbled and never recovered through the 2005 season and finished with a 17–17 record. They barely made the playoffs; they received the number-four seed. In the first round, the Sparks were outplayed and swept by the eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs
.
In 2006, the Sparks played much better, posting a 25–9 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle Storm
in three games. However, in the Western Conference finals, the Sparks' season was ended by the Monarchs for the third year in a row.
, who also owned the Lakers, announced he was selling the Sparks. On December 7, 2006, the Los Angeles Times
reported the sale to an investor group led by Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson. Goodman is currently a high school
teacher at HighTech-LA in Lake Balboa and was a former executive for Intermedia Films. Christofferson is a litigation attorney
for the O’Melveny & Myers law firm and was Miss North Dakota USA
in 1989. The day after the sale was announced, team star Lisa Leslie announced that she was pregnant and would not play in the WNBA in the 2007 season despite Michael Cooper's return to the team as head coach.
The loss of Leslie for the year proved devastating, as the Sparks posted a league-worst 10–24 record. The record was also the worst in Sparks history, as the Sparks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
, the college player of the year, the morning after Parker had led the University of Tennessee
Lady Vols to their second-straight NCAA championship.
In 2008, the Sparks posted a 20-14 record and finished third in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm
2-1 to reach the Western Conference Finals and compete against the San Antonio Silver Stars
. The Sparks were on track to win game 2 of the series, but Silver Star Sophia Young
made a turn around bank-shot with a second left on the clock to force the series to a deciding game three. The Sparks lost game three, and the Silver Stars moved on to the WNBA Finals
.
Following the 2008 season, Parker announced that she was pregnant. To compensate for Parker's absence, the Sparks signed free agent Tina Thompson
who was from former rival Houston Comets
. Thompson, the four-time WNBA champ and eight-time WNBA All-Star, also went to college with Leslie at USC
.
The 2009 season started poorly for the Sparks. Candace Parker began the season on maternity leave, and Lisa Leslie suffered a knee injury early in the season. Both Leslie and Parker returned to the court in July, however, sparking a 10-2 run which turned an 8-14 start into an 18-16 regular season record and clinching the Sparks' tenth playoff appearance in their 13-year history. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sparks defeated the Seattle Storm for the third time in 4 years. In the Western Conference Finals, the Sparks' lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury
in 3 games. The end of the 2009 playoff run marked the end of Leslie's career as a player and Cooper's second tenure as Sparks' head coach. In the offseason, former Sparks player Jennifer Gillom
became the team's new head coach.
The 2010 season began with high hopes for the Sparks. Led by former All-Star point guard Ticha Penicheiro
, the Sparks believed they had the pieces to contend for a championship. However, superstar Candace Parker
had season-ending shoulder surgery after the team started just 3-7. Without her, the Sparks struggled, finishing 13-21. Fortunately for the Sparks, this was good enough to qualify them for fourth place in the Western Conference, but they were swept by the eventual champion Seattle Storm
in the first round.
The 2011 season was eerily reminiscent of the previous year for the Sparks. The team started 4-3 but again Candace Parker
sustained an injury. Following three more losses, the Sparks fired head coach Jennifer Gillom
, promoting previous Sparks coach Joe Bryant
. With Parker out until the end of the season, the Sparks continued to struggle, heading into the All-Star break
6-8 and in fifth place.
in Los Angeles
, California
. The capacity for a Sparks game is 13,141 because the upper level is closed off (capacity for a Lakers
game is 18,997). The Sparks have played in the Staples Center since 2001
. Their previous home was the Great Western Forum, but the Sparks organization moved after claiming "the Forum" was the reason for the low attendance at Sparks games.
|-
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 10%;"| Season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 8%;" | Team
!rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 12%;" | Conference
!colspan="3" style="background:#eee; width: 15%;"| Regular season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 30%;"| Playoff
Results
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 13%;"| Head coach
|-
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|W
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|L
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|PCT
|-
|colspan="9" align=center bgcolor="#5c2f83" | Los Angeles Sparks
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1997
| 1997
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 2nd
| 14
| 14
| .500
| Did not qualify
| L. Sharp
(4–7)
J. Rousseau (10–7)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1998
| 1998
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 3rd
| 12
| 18
| .400
| Did not qualify
| J. Rousseau (7–13)
O. Woolridge
(5–5)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1999
| 1999
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 2nd
| 20
| 12
| .625
| Won Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
, 1–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
, 1–2)
| Orlando Woolridge
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2000
| 2000
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Phoenix
, 2–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
, 0–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2001
| 2001
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Houston
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
, 2–1)
Won WNBA Finals (Charlotte
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2002
| 2002
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 25
| 7
| .781
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Utah
, 2–0)
Won WNBA Finals (New York
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2003
| 2003
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 24
| 10
| .706
| Won Conference Semifinals (Minnesota
, 2–1)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
, 2–1)
Lost WNBA Finals (Detroit
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2004
| 2004
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
, 1–2)
| M. Cooper (14–6)
K. Thompson (11–3)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2005
| 2005
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 4th
| 17
| 17
| .500
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
, 0–2)
| H. Bibby
(13–16)
J. Bryant
(4–1)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2006
| 2006
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Sacramento
, 0–2)
| Joe Bryant
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2007
| 2007
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 7th
| 10
| 24
| .294
| Did not qualify
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2008
| 2008
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 3rd
| 20
| 14
| .588
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (San Antonio
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2009
| 2009
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 3rd
| 18
| 16
| .529
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Phoenix
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2010
| 2010
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 4th
| 13
| 21
| .382
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Seattle
, 0–2)
| Jennifer Gillom
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2011
| 2011
| style="width: 10%"|West
| 5th
| 15
| 19
| .441
| Did not qualify
| J. Gillom
(4–6)
J. Bryant
(11–13)
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Regular season
|style="background:#eee;"| 294
|style="background:#eee;"| 198
|style="background:#eee;"| .598
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 3 Conference Championships
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Playoffs
|style="background:#eee;"| 30
|style="background:#eee;"| 24
|style="background:#eee;"| .555
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 2 WNBA Championships
|}
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFB410" | Los Angeles Sparks head coaches
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="15%" rowspan="2" | Name
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | Start
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | End
! width="5%" rowspan="2" | Seasons
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Regular season
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Playoffs
|-
! W !! L !! PCT !! G !! W !! L !! PCT !! G
|-
| Linda Sharp || Beginning of 1997
|| July 16, 1997 || 1 || width="5%"|4 || width="5%"|7 || width="5%"|.364 || width="5%"|11 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Julie Rousseau || July 16, 1997 || July 30, 1998 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|20 || width="5%"|.459 || width="5%"|37 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Orlando Woolridge
|| July 30, 1998 || October 2, 1999 || 2 || width="5%"|25 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|.595 || width="5%"|42 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|4
|-
| Michael Cooper || October 14, 1999 || July 18, 2004 || 5 || width="5%"|119 || width="5%"|31 || width="5%"|.793 || width="5%"|150 ||width="5%"|19 || width="5%"|8 || width="5%"|.704 || width="5%"|27
|-
| Karleen Thompson || July 18, 2004 || End of 2004
|| 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.786 || width="5%"|14 ||width="5%"|1 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.333 || width="5%"|3
|-
| Henry Bibby
|| April 7, 2005 || August 22, 2005 || 1 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|16 || width="5%"|.448 || width="5%"|29 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
|| August 22, 2005 || April 4, 2007 || 2 || width="5%"|29 || width="5%"|10 || width="5%"|.744 || width="5%"|39 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|-
| Michael Cooper || April 4, 2007 || End of 2009
|| 3 || width="5%"|48 || width="5%"|54 || width="5%"|.471 || width="5%"|102 ||width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|6
|-
| Michael Cooper || colspan=2|Total || 8 || width="5%"|167 || width="5%"|85 || width="5%"|.663 || width="5%"|252 ||width="5%"|22 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|.667 || width="5%"|33
|-
| Jennifer Gillom
|| December 14, 2009 || July 11, 2011 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|27 || width="5%"|.386 || width="5%"|44 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|2
|-
| Joe Bryant
|| July 11, 2011 || Current || 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|.458 || width="5%"|24 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
|| colspan=2|Total || 3 || width="5%"|40 || width="5%"|23 || width="5%"|.635 || width="5%"|63 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|}
|}
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Los Angeles Sparks statistics
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
|-
| 1997
| L. Leslie
(15.9)
| L. Leslie
(9.5)
| P. Toler
(5.1)
| 74.0 vs 71.8
| 34.8 vs 32.9
| .446 vs .397
|-
| 1998
| L. Leslie
(19.6)
| L. Leslie
(10.2)
| P. Toler
(4.8)
| 71.6 vs 72.3
| 34.0 vs 33.3
| .416 vs .411
|-
| 1999
| L. Leslie
(15.6)
| L. Leslie
(7.8)
| M. Mabika
(3.5)
| 76.5 vs 72.4
| 33.3 vs 32.2
| .435 vs .410
|}
|-
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
|-
| 2000
| L. Leslie
(17.8)
| L. Leslie
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
(4.0)
| 75.5 vs 67.8
| 34.1 vs 30.6
| .440 vs .395
|-
| 2001
| L. Leslie
(19.5)
| L. Leslie
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
(3.9)
| 76.3 vs 67.7
| 34.5 vs 28.8
| .451 vs .392
|-
| 2002
| L. Leslie
(16.9)
| L. Leslie
(10.4)
| N. Teasley
(4.4)
| 76.6 vs 69.8
| 35.7 vs 30.0
| .445 vs .390
|-
| 2003
| L. Leslie
(18.4)
| L. Leslie
(10.0)
| N. Teasley
(6.3)
| 73.5 vs 71.5
| 33.8 vs 32.5
| .418 vs .403
|-
| 2004
| L. Leslie
(17.6)
| L. Leslie
(9.9)
| N. Teasley
(6.1)
| 73.4 vs 69.4
| 33.0 vs 31.4
| .437 vs .389
|-
| 2005
| C. Holdsclaw
(17.0)
| L. Leslie
(7.3)
| N. Teasley
(3.7)
| 68.4 vs 69.0
| 29.5 vs 30.6
| .428 vs .418
|-
| 2006
| L. Leslie
(20.0)
| L. Leslie
(9.5)
| T. Johnson
(5.0)
| 75.7 vs 72.8
| 35.4 vs 31.8
| .438 vs .400
|-
| 2007
| T. McWilliams (11.1)
| T. McWilliams (5.9)
| S. Baker
(3.2)
| 74.5 vs 79.6
| 33.5 vs 34.7
| .408 vs .431
|-
| 2008
| C. Parker
(18.5)
| C. Parker
(9.5)
| S. Bobbitt
(3.5)
| 76.4 vs 74.2
| 37.7 vs 33.1
| .424 vs .384
|-
| 2009
| L. Leslie
(15.4)
| C. Parker
(9.8)
| N. Quinn
(3.5)
| 74.5 vs 73.5
| 36.7 vs 30.9
| .430 vs .399
|}
|-
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
|-
| 2010
| T. Thompson
(16.6)
| T. Thompson
(6.2)
| T. Penicheiro
(6.9)
| 77.9 vs 81.2
| 30.8 vs 35.3
| .441 vs .441
|-
| 2011
| C. Parker
(18.5)
| C. Parker
(8.6)
| T. Penicheiro
(4.8)
| 77.1 vs 80.3
| 31.7 vs 34.8
| .445 vs .447
|}
|}
. More often than not, NBA TV
will pick up the feed from the local broadcast, which is shown nationally. Broadcasters for the Sparks games are Larry Burnett and Lisa Leslie
. Previous analysts have included Derek Fisher
and Ann Meyers
.
All games (excluding blackout games, which are available on ESPN3.com) are broadcast to the WNBA LiveAccess game feeds on the league website. Furthermore, some Sparks games are broadcast nationally on ESPN
, ESPN2 and ABC
. The WNBA has reached an eight year agreement with ESPN
, which will pay right fees to the Sparks, as well as other teams in the league.
Currently, the team's games are not on radio; however, the team did bounce around several stations from 1999
to 2008
. The first two years had no broadcasts. Then in 1999, the team signed with KWKU, a sister station to Spanish-language KWKW
, licensed to Pomona, California
. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times
published in this period, KWKU had no switchboard and no website. In addition, its 500-watt signal reached only a handful of people in the greater L.A. area and was certainly nowhere near the team's home arenas. In 2003
, the team left KWKU for KLAC, which had summer time slots available after the Anaheim Angels
' radio broadcasts had just left. That lasted until 2006
, when KLAC switched the broadcasts to XETRA
, which carried the same format KLAC had before. In 2007
, the game broadcasts moved again, this time to KTLK, when XETRA switched its language of broadcasts from English to Spanish. The Sparks and Clear Channel Communications
(licensee of the last three stations mentioned) chose not to renew their contract after 2008. Sparks radio broadcasts never covered a complete season; most nationally-televised games and many games from the Eastern time zone were not covered. Burnett was the announcer.
{| class="toccolours" width=70% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Regular season all-time attendance
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|- align="center" style="background:#eee;color:#000000;"
|width=75 |Year
|width=150|Average
|width=100|High
|width=100|Low
|width=75 |Sellouts
|width=150|Total for year
|width=150|WNBA game average
|- align="center"
| 1997 || 8,937 (4th) || 14,457 || 5,987 || 0 || 125,114 || 9,669
|- align="center"
| 1998 || 7,653 (9th) || 11,191 || 4,851 || 0 || 114,801 || 10,869
|- align="center"
| 1999 || 7,625 (10th) || 13,116 || 5,436 || 0 || 122,000 || 10,207
|- align="center"
| 2000 || 6,563 (14th) || 11,378 || 4,416 || 0 || 105,005 || 9,074
|- align="center"
| 2001 || 9,278 (4th) || 11,819 || 6,591 || 0 || 148,446 || 9,075
|- align="center"
| 2002 || 11,651 (3rd) || 18,542 || 7,487 || 0 || 186,410 || 9,228
|- align="center"
| 2003 || 9,290 (4th) || 11,320 || 6,710 || 0 || 157,934 || 8,800
|- align="center"
| 2004 || 10,369 (2nd) || 18,997 || 8,368 || 0 || 176,269 || 8,613
|- align="center"
| 2005 || 8,839 (5th) || 17,769 || 7,246 || 0 || 143,211 || 8,172
|- align="center"
| 2006 || 8,312 (5th) || 12,289 || 6,670 || 0 || 141,312 || 7,476
|- align="center"
| 2007 || 8,695 (3rd) || 13,092 || 6,748 || 0 || 147,810 || 7,742
|- align="center"
| 2008 || 9,429 (2nd) || 13,142 || 7,245 || 0 || 161,369 || 7,948
|- align="center"
| 2009 || 10,387 (2nd) || 13,865 || 8,263 || 0 || 176,587 || 8,039
|- align="center"
| 2010 || 9,468 (2nd) || 14,413 || 6,026 || 0 || 160,951 || 7,834
|- align="center"
| 2011 || 10,316 (2nd) || 14,266 || 7,522 || 0 || 17,5366 || 7,954
|}
|}
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, playing in the Western Conference
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
in the Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
began. The team is owned by Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison, majority owner) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (minority owners). Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs
WNBA Playoffs
The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals....
in eleven of their fourteen years in Los Angeles. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as 6 foot 5 inch center Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
, Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
standout Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
, flashy point guard Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
and nearby USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
product Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
. In 2001, 2002
2002 WNBA Finals
The 2002 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2002 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the New York Liberty, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in a...
and 2003
2003 WNBA Finals
The 2003 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2003 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Detroit Shock, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, two games to one in a...
, the Sparks went to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
. They won the title in 2001 and 2002, beating Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
and New York
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
, respectively, but fell short to Detroit
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in 2003.
Being in a major national market, the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league; they faced New York in the league's inaugural game on June 21, 1997. Like the Tulsa Shock, the Sparks are one of the two WNBA franchises whose city also has an NBA D-League team, the D-Fenders
Los Angeles D-Fenders
The Los Angeles D-Fenders are a NBA Development League team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2006, the team is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, which became the first National Basketball Association franchise to own a D-League team...
.
In the shadow of the Comets (1997–2000)
The 1997 WNBA season1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
, the league's first, opened with a game between the Sparks and the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
at the Sparks home (The Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
) in Inglewood
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
. The Sparks lost the game 57-67. Sparks player Penny Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
scored the league's first two points with a lay-up 59 seconds into the game. The Sparks had what many considered to be a disappointing season in 1997, finishing with a record of 14–14. The team did compete for a playoff spot, but because of a loss to the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in the final game of the season, the Sparks missed the playoffs. In the 1998 WNBA season
1998 WNBA season
-External links:**...
, the Sparks finished 12–18, missing the playoffs once more.
The 1999 season
1999 WNBA season
-External links:**...
featured the development of Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
and the Sparks' first playoff berth, as the Sparks posted a 20–12 record. The Sparks won their first playoff game and series with a win over the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
. They played a competitive Western Conference
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
Finals but fell to the defending champion Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 2 games to 1, in the three-game series.
The 2000 season
2000 WNBA season
-External links:**...
was a record one, as the Sparks tore up the WNBA with a 28–4 record, the best in league history, and second only to the 1998 Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
for best all-time. In the playoffs, the Sparks swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round but lost in the Western Conference Finals again, when they were swept by the Comets. Ultimately, the Sparks were playing in the shadow of the Comets, as they won the first four WNBA championships
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Sparks begin to fly (2001–2002)
The 2000-01 offseason saw a move to the Staples CenterStaples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
and an important coaching change, when the Sparks hired former Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
player Michael Cooper as head coach. During the ensuing regular season, the Sparks again posted a 28–4 record. In the 2001 playoffs, the Sparks finally eliminated the Comets, sweeping them in the first round. The Sparks took all three games to eliminate the Monarchs to earn their first berth in the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
, in which they swept the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
, 2–0, for their first league championship.
In 2002, Leslie became the first woman in the league to dunk the ball during a game, and once again the Sparks dominated the regular season, posting a 25–7 record. The Sparks then flew through the playoffs, sweeping both the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
and the Utah Starzz
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
. In the finals, the Sparks were matched against the Liberty, who were still looking for their first championship. A late three in game 2 by Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
gave the Sparks their second consecutive championship.
Battle for the three-peat (2003)
In 2003, the Sparks posted a 24–10 record and went into the playoffs looking for a "three-peat." Both the first and the second rounds were forced to decided third games, as they beat the Minnesota LynxMinnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
and Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
. The Sparks then faced the upstart Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in the Finals. The Shock were on a roll after having been the worst team in the WNBA in 2002
2002 WNBA season
-External links:***...
. The Finals were a battle fueled by the relationship between head coaches Michael Cooper (Sparks) and Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer
William "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
(Shock) which stemmed back to their days in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The rough road to the finals and the tough play of the Shock wore down the Sparks, which lost the series, two games to one, and failed to three-peat.
End of the glory days (2004–2006)
During the 2003-04 off season, the Sparks signed two standout players, Tamika WhitmoreTamika Whitmore
Tamika Whitmore is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-College years:She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship...
and Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Weatherspoon
-Personal:Weatherspoon was born to Charles and Rowena Weatherspoon in Pineland, Texas. Her father, Charles Sr., played minor league baseball in the Minnesota Twins' farm system, and holds the record for the most grand slams in a minor league game. Weatherspoon has two brothers and three sisters...
, both of whom had played for the rival New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
. When the season began, the Sparks got off to a great start, but coach Cooper left at midseason to seek a coaching job in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The loss of their coach was a factor in the team's so-so finish to the season, which ended with a record of 25–9. During the playoffs, the team stumbled, losing in three games to the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
.
The Sparks stumbled and never recovered through the 2005 season and finished with a 17–17 record. They barely made the playoffs; they received the number-four seed. In the first round, the Sparks were outplayed and swept by the eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
.
In 2006, the Sparks played much better, posting a 25–9 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in three games. However, in the Western Conference finals, the Sparks' season was ended by the Monarchs for the third year in a row.
Leslie's pregnancy (2007)
After the 2006 season ended, team owner Jerry BussJerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, who also owned the Lakers, announced he was selling the Sparks. On December 7, 2006, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported the sale to an investor group led by Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson. Goodman is currently a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
teacher at HighTech-LA in Lake Balboa and was a former executive for Intermedia Films. Christofferson is a litigation attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
for the O’Melveny & Myers law firm and was Miss North Dakota USA
Miss North Dakota USA
The Miss North Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Dakota in the Miss USA pageant.North Dakota has had only three placements and have never won the Miss USA crown. Their highest placement was in 1966 when Judy Slayton placed 3rd runner-up to...
in 1989. The day after the sale was announced, team star Lisa Leslie announced that she was pregnant and would not play in the WNBA in the 2007 season despite Michael Cooper's return to the team as head coach.
The loss of Leslie for the year proved devastating, as the Sparks posted a league-worst 10–24 record. The record was also the worst in Sparks history, as the Sparks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
Candace Parker joins the WNBA (2008–present)
Before the start of the 2008 season, the team's prospects improved dramatically. Lisa Leslie returned to the team, and on April 9, 2008, the team used its number-one draft pick to select Candace ParkerCandace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
, the college player of the year, the morning after Parker had led the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
Lady Vols to their second-straight NCAA championship.
In 2008, the Sparks posted a 20-14 record and finished third in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
2-1 to reach the Western Conference Finals and compete against the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
. The Sparks were on track to win game 2 of the series, but Silver Star Sophia Young
Sophia Young
Sophia Yvonne Ashley Young is a Vincentian professional women's basketball player with the San Antonio Silver Stars in the WNBA...
made a turn around bank-shot with a second left on the clock to force the series to a deciding game three. The Sparks lost game three, and the Silver Stars moved on to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Following the 2008 season, Parker announced that she was pregnant. To compensate for Parker's absence, the Sparks signed free agent Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
who was from former rival Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
. Thompson, the four-time WNBA champ and eight-time WNBA All-Star, also went to college with Leslie at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
The 2009 season started poorly for the Sparks. Candace Parker began the season on maternity leave, and Lisa Leslie suffered a knee injury early in the season. Both Leslie and Parker returned to the court in July, however, sparking a 10-2 run which turned an 8-14 start into an 18-16 regular season record and clinching the Sparks' tenth playoff appearance in their 13-year history. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sparks defeated the Seattle Storm for the third time in 4 years. In the Western Conference Finals, the Sparks' lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in 3 games. The end of the 2009 playoff run marked the end of Leslie's career as a player and Cooper's second tenure as Sparks' head coach. In the offseason, former Sparks player Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
became the team's new head coach.
The 2010 season began with high hopes for the Sparks. Led by former All-Star point guard Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro is a Portuguese professional basketball player who plays for Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA...
, the Sparks believed they had the pieces to contend for a championship. However, superstar Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
had season-ending shoulder surgery after the team started just 3-7. Without her, the Sparks struggled, finishing 13-21. Fortunately for the Sparks, this was good enough to qualify them for fourth place in the Western Conference, but they were swept by the eventual champion Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in the first round.
The 2011 season was eerily reminiscent of the previous year for the Sparks. The team started 4-3 but again Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
sustained an injury. Following three more losses, the Sparks fired head coach Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
, promoting previous Sparks coach Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
. With Parker out until the end of the season, the Sparks continued to struggle, heading into the All-Star break
2011 WNBA All-Star Game
The 2011 WNBA All-Star Game was played on July 23, 2011 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, home of the San Antonio Silver Stars. The game was the 10th WNBA All-Star Game, which has been held annually since 1999 except in 2004, 2008, and 2010...
6-8 and in fifth place.
Current home
The Los Angeles Sparks currently play in the Staples CenterStaples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The capacity for a Sparks game is 13,141 because the upper level is closed off (capacity for a Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
game is 18,997). The Sparks have played in the Staples Center since 2001
2001 WNBA season
-External links:**...
. Their previous home was the Great Western Forum, but the Sparks organization moved after claiming "the Forum" was the reason for the low attendance at Sparks games.
Uniforms
- 2011-present: As part of the move to AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
's Revolution 30 technology, the Sparks unveiled new jerseys. Home uniforms remain gold, but numbers are now rounded and in white with purple trim. Away uniforms are purple with numbers in white with gold trim. The Farmers Insurance name will remain on the jerseys. - 2009-2010: On June 5, the Los Angeles Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership that includes a branded jersey sponsorship. The Farmers Insurance branded jersey was worn by the players for the first time on June 6, 2009. As part of this alliance, the Farmers Insurance name and logo will appear on the front of the Sparks jerseys. In the 2009 season, the Sparks yellow jersey is used regardless of home or away. In the 2010 season they introduced the purple jersey for away games.
- 2007–2008: For home games, gold with purple lines and sparks on the side, with the name "Sparks" written across in purple. For away games, purple with golden yellow lines and sparks on the side, with the name "Los Angeles" in yellow. The uniform looks similar to the Los Angeles Lakers' uniform.
- 1997–2006: For home games, gold with large purple stripe on the side, with the name "Sparks" written across in purple. For away games, purple with large gold stripe on the side, with the name "Los Angeles" in yellow.
Season-by-season records
| Season | Team | Conference | Regular season | Playoff WNBA Playoffs The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals.... Results |
Head coach | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | PCT | ||||||
| Los Angeles Sparks | ||||||||
| 1997 1997 WNBA Season -External links:*... |
1997 1997 Los Angeles Sparks season The 1997 WNBA season was the 1st season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Division with a record of 14 wins and 14 losses.-Initial Player Allocation:-WNBA Draft:-Regular season:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
2nd | 14 | 14 | .500 | Did not qualify | L. Sharp Linda K. Sharp Linda K. Sharp is a former collegiate women's basketball coach. Her coaching career spans 31 seasons with stints on all levels from elementary, junior high and high school to the collegiate and professional ranks, and she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.Sharp served as... (4–7) J. Rousseau (10–7) |
| 1998 1998 WNBA season -External links:**... |
1998 1998 Los Angeles Sparks season The 1998 WNBA season was the 2nd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks missed out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It would be the last season they missed the playoffs until the 2007 season.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
3rd | 12 | 18 | .400 | Did not qualify | J. Rousseau (7–13) O. Woolridge Orlando Woolridge Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :... (5–5) |
| 1999 1999 WNBA season -External links:**... |
1999 1999 Los Angeles Sparks season The 1999 WNBA season was the 3rd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they fell in the Conference Finals to eventual champion Houston Comets.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
2nd | 20 | 12 | .625 | Won Conference Semifinals (Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... , 1–0) Lost Conference Finals (Houston Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and... , 1–2) |
Orlando Woolridge Orlando Woolridge Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :... |
| 2000 2000 WNBA season -External links:**... |
2000 2000 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2000 WNBA season was the 4th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team set a 28-4 record, the best in league history, but they were unable to go for the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals in a sweep to the Houston Comets.-Offseason:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
1st | 28 | 4 | .875 | Won Conference Semifinals (Phoenix Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... , 2–0) Lost Conference Finals (Houston Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and... , 0–2) |
Michael Cooper |
| 2001 2001 WNBA season -External links:**... |
2001 2001 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks won their first WNBA Finals.-WNBA Draft:-Season Schedule:-Playoffs:-Player stats:-Awards and honors:*Lisa Leslie, WNBA Finals MVP Award... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
1st | 28 | 4 | .875 | Won Conference Semifinals (Houston Houston Comets The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and... , 2–0) Won Conference Finals (Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... , 2–1) Won WNBA Finals (Charlotte Charlotte Sting The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007.... , 2–0) |
Michael Cooper |
| 2002 2002 WNBA season -External links:***... |
2002 2002 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2002 WNBA season was the 6th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks ended the season winning the WNBA Finals for the second straight year.-Season Schedule:-Player stats:-References:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
1st | 25 | 7 | .781 | Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began... , 2–0) Won Conference Finals (Utah Utah Starzz The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars... , 2–0) Won WNBA Finals (New York New York Liberty The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league... , 2–0) |
Michael Cooper |
| 2003 2003 WNBA season -External links:***... |
2003 2003 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2003 WNBA season was the 7th season for the Los Angeles Sparks franchise. The Sparks reached the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive season, but fell to the Detroit Shock in three games.-Dispersal Draft:-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
1st | 24 | 10 | .706 | Won Conference Semifinals (Minnesota Minnesota Lynx The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season... , 2–1) Won Conference Finals (Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... , 2–1) Lost WNBA Finals (Detroit Detroit Shock The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion... , 1–2) |
Michael Cooper |
| 2004 2004 WNBA season -External links:***... |
2004 2004 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2004 WNBA season was the 8th for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks' head coach, Michael Cooper, left the team during the season. Despite with that, the team finished in first place in the West, but they were unable to make another playoff run, losing in the opening round to the Sacramento... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
1st | 25 | 9 | .735 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... , 1–2) |
M. Cooper (14–6) K. Thompson (11–3) |
| 2005 2005 WNBA season -External links:***... |
2005 2005 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2005 WNBA season was the 9th for the Los Angeles Sparks. Despite making the playoffs, they played mediocre basketball all season long, and they were not considered a playoff factor, as they were swept in the Conference Semifinals to eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs.-WNBA Draft:-Season... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
4th | 17 | 17 | .500 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... , 0–2) |
H. Bibby Henry Bibby Charles Henry Bibby is a former professional basketball player who became a coach after his playing days were over.- Playing career :... (13–16) J. Bryant Joe Bryant Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007... (4–1) |
| 2006 2006 WNBA season -External links:*******... |
2006 2006 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2006 WNBA season was the 10th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team went for the best record in the West, but were still unable to return to the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals to the Sacramento Monarchs, 2 games to 0.-WNBA Draft:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
1st | 25 | 9 | .735 | Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began... , 2–1) Lost Conference Finals (Sacramento Sacramento Monarchs The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009... , 0–2) |
Joe Bryant Joe Bryant Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007... |
| 2007 2007 WNBA season -External links:* * * * * * * *... |
2007 2007 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2007 WNBA season was the eleventh for the Los Angeles Sparks.-WNBA Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-External links:*... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
7th | 10 | 24 | .294 | Did not qualify | Michael Cooper |
| 2008 2008 WNBA season -Season Highlights:*Candace Parker becomes the second and third player in WNBA history to dunk in a regular season game.*A fight breaks out between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock resulting in four ejections and ten suspensions.... |
2008 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 12th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2006.-Offseason:The following player was selected in the Expansion Draft:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
3rd | 20 | 14 | .588 | Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began... , 2–1) Lost Conference Finals (San Antonio San Antonio Silver Stars The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio... , 1–2) |
Michael Cooper |
| 2009 2009 WNBA season The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008... |
2009 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season is the 13th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Lisa Leslie announced that the 2009 season would be her last. On June 5, the Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
3rd | 18 | 16 | .529 | Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began... , 2–1) Lost Conference Finals (Phoenix Phoenix Mercury The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... , 1–2) |
Michael Cooper |
| 2010 2010 WNBA season The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star... |
2010 2010 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2010 WNBA season is the 14th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-Dispersal draft:Based on the Sparks' 2009 record, they would pick 8th in the Sacramento Monarchs dispersal draft... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
4th | 13 | 21 | .382 | Lost Conference Semifinals (Seattle Seattle Storm The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began... , 0–2) |
Jennifer Gillom Jennifer Gillom Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002... |
| 2011 2011 WNBA season The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began on June 3 with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Minnesota Lynx, featuring 2011 WNBA Draft top pick Maya Moore, in a game televised on NBA TV... |
2011 2011 Los Angeles Sparks season The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-WNBA Draft:The following are the Sparks' selections in the 2011 WNBA Draft.-Transaction log:... |
West Western Conference (WNBA) The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference... |
5th | 15 | 19 | .441 | Did not qualify | J. Gillom Jennifer Gillom Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002... (4–6) J. Bryant Joe Bryant Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007... (11–13) |
| Regular season | 294 | 198 | .598 | 3 Conference Championships | ||||
| Playoffs | 30 | 24 | .555 | 2 WNBA Championships | ||||
Former players
- hannon Bobbitt] (2008-2009), now a member of the Indiana FeverIndiana FeverThe Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
- Latasha ByearsLatasha ByearsLatasha Nashay Byears is a former American professional women's basketball player. She played in the WNBA for the Sacramento Monarchs, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Washington Mystics, and the for the Houston Comets...
(2001–2003) - Tamecka DixonTamecka DixonTamecka Michelle Dixon is an American professional basketball player. She announced her retirement prior to the 2010 WNBA season.-High school:...
(1997–2005) - Marie Ferdinand-Harris (2008–2010), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
- Ukari FiggsUkari FiggsUkari Okien Figgs is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.- High School and College years :...
(1999–2001) - Allison FeasterAllison FeasterAllison Sharlene Feaster, née Feaster-Strong , is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA's Indiana Fever. She was on the roster of the Charlotte Sting when the team folded in January 2007...
(1997-1999) - Jennifer GillomJennifer GillomJennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
(2003) - Chamique HoldsclawChamique HoldsclawChamique Shaunta Holdsclaw is a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association most recently under a contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars...
(2005–2007) - Temeka JohnsonTemeka JohnsonTemeka Rochelle Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. Her primary position is point guard.-College years:...
(2006–2008), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Betty LennoxBetty LennoxBetty Bernice Lennox is an American professional basketball player most recently playing for the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA. Her nicknames include "Betty Basketball," "Betty Big Buckets," and her most popular nickname "B-Money."-Childhood:Betty grew up in the small town of Grant, OK. Daughter of...
(2009–2010), now a member of the Tulsa Shock - Lisa LeslieLisa LeslieLisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(1997–2009) - Mwadi MabikaMwadi MabikaMwadi Mabika is a Congolese basketball player and an All-Star in the Women's National Basketball Association ....
(1997–2007) - Taj McWilliams-Franklin (2007), now a member of the Minnesota LynxMinnesota LynxThe Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
- Murriel PageMurriel PageLaMurriel "Murriel" Page is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a forward and center in the Women's National Basketball Association for eleven seasons. Page played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was drafted in the first round of the 1998...
(2006–2008) - Sidney SpencerSidney SpencerSidney Spencer is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.Sidney attended the University of Tennessee, and in April 2007 led the team to the national championship. That same month, she was selected in the 2nd round of the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks...
(2007-2009), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Nikki TeasleyNikki TeasleyNikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(2002–2005) - Penny TolerPenny TolerPenny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
(1997–1999), now the Sparks' General Manager - Tamika WhitmoreTamika WhitmoreTamika Whitmore is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-College years:She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship...
(2004–2005) - Sophia WitherspoonSophia WitherspoonSophia L. Witherspoon is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a guard for seven seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association . Witherspoon played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was selected in the second round of the 1997 WNBA Draft...
(2002–2003) - Haixia ZhengHaixia ZhengZheng Haixia is a Chinese retired professional women's basketball player for the China women's national basketball team and the Women's National Basketball Association.-International career:...
(1997–1998)
Owners
- Jerry BussJerry BussGerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, owner of the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(1997–2006) - Gemini Basketball LLC, composed of Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lynai Jones (2007–2011)
- Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (2011–present)
Head coaches
| Los Angeles Sparks head coaches | |
|---|---|
Statistics
{| class="toccolours" width=80% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Los Angeles Sparks statistics
|- valign="top"
|
|-
|
|-
|
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, playing in the Western Conference
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
in the Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
began. The team is owned by Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison, majority owner) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (minority owners). Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs
WNBA Playoffs
The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals....
in eleven of their fourteen years in Los Angeles. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as 6 foot 5 inch center Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
, Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
standout Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
, flashy point guard Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
and nearby USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
product Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
. In 2001, 2002
2002 WNBA Finals
The 2002 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2002 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the New York Liberty, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in a...
and 2003
2003 WNBA Finals
The 2003 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2003 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Detroit Shock, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, two games to one in a...
, the Sparks went to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
. They won the title in 2001 and 2002, beating Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
and New York
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
, respectively, but fell short to Detroit
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in 2003.
Being in a major national market, the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league; they faced New York in the league's inaugural game on June 21, 1997. Like the Tulsa Shock, the Sparks are one of the two WNBA franchises whose city also has an NBA D-League team, the D-Fenders
Los Angeles D-Fenders
The Los Angeles D-Fenders are a NBA Development League team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2006, the team is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, which became the first National Basketball Association franchise to own a D-League team...
.
In the shadow of the Comets (1997–2000)
The 1997 WNBA season1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
, the league's first, opened with a game between the Sparks and the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
at the Sparks home (The Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
) in Inglewood
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
. The Sparks lost the game 57-67. Sparks player Penny Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
scored the league's first two points with a lay-up 59 seconds into the game. The Sparks had what many considered to be a disappointing season in 1997, finishing with a record of 14–14. The team did compete for a playoff spot, but because of a loss to the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in the final game of the season, the Sparks missed the playoffs. In the 1998 WNBA season
1998 WNBA season
-External links:**...
, the Sparks finished 12–18, missing the playoffs once more.
The 1999 season
1999 WNBA season
-External links:**...
featured the development of Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
and the Sparks' first playoff berth, as the Sparks posted a 20–12 record. The Sparks won their first playoff game and series with a win over the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
. They played a competitive Western Conference
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
Finals but fell to the defending champion Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 2 games to 1, in the three-game series.
The 2000 season
2000 WNBA season
-External links:**...
was a record one, as the Sparks tore up the WNBA with a 28–4 record, the best in league history, and second only to the 1998 Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
for best all-time. In the playoffs, the Sparks swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round but lost in the Western Conference Finals again, when they were swept by the Comets. Ultimately, the Sparks were playing in the shadow of the Comets, as they won the first four WNBA championships
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Sparks begin to fly (2001–2002)
The 2000-01 offseason saw a move to the Staples CenterStaples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
and an important coaching change, when the Sparks hired former Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
player Michael Cooper as head coach. During the ensuing regular season, the Sparks again posted a 28–4 record. In the 2001 playoffs, the Sparks finally eliminated the Comets, sweeping them in the first round. The Sparks took all three games to eliminate the Monarchs to earn their first berth in the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
, in which they swept the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
, 2–0, for their first league championship.
In 2002, Leslie became the first woman in the league to dunk the ball during a game, and once again the Sparks dominated the regular season, posting a 25–7 record. The Sparks then flew through the playoffs, sweeping both the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
and the Utah Starzz
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
. In the finals, the Sparks were matched against the Liberty, who were still looking for their first championship. A late three in game 2 by Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
gave the Sparks their second consecutive championship.
Battle for the three-peat (2003)
In 2003, the Sparks posted a 24–10 record and went into the playoffs looking for a "three-peat." Both the first and the second rounds were forced to decided third games, as they beat the Minnesota LynxMinnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
and Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
. The Sparks then faced the upstart Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in the Finals. The Shock were on a roll after having been the worst team in the WNBA in 2002
2002 WNBA season
-External links:***...
. The Finals were a battle fueled by the relationship between head coaches Michael Cooper (Sparks) and Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer
William "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
(Shock) which stemmed back to their days in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The rough road to the finals and the tough play of the Shock wore down the Sparks, which lost the series, two games to one, and failed to three-peat.
End of the glory days (2004–2006)
During the 2003-04 off season, the Sparks signed two standout players, Tamika WhitmoreTamika Whitmore
Tamika Whitmore is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-College years:She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship...
and Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Weatherspoon
-Personal:Weatherspoon was born to Charles and Rowena Weatherspoon in Pineland, Texas. Her father, Charles Sr., played minor league baseball in the Minnesota Twins' farm system, and holds the record for the most grand slams in a minor league game. Weatherspoon has two brothers and three sisters...
, both of whom had played for the rival New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
. When the season began, the Sparks got off to a great start, but coach Cooper left at midseason to seek a coaching job in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The loss of their coach was a factor in the team's so-so finish to the season, which ended with a record of 25–9. During the playoffs, the team stumbled, losing in three games to the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
.
The Sparks stumbled and never recovered through the 2005 season and finished with a 17–17 record. They barely made the playoffs; they received the number-four seed. In the first round, the Sparks were outplayed and swept by the eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
.
In 2006, the Sparks played much better, posting a 25–9 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in three games. However, in the Western Conference finals, the Sparks' season was ended by the Monarchs for the third year in a row.
Leslie's pregnancy (2007)
After the 2006 season ended, team owner Jerry BussJerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, who also owned the Lakers, announced he was selling the Sparks. On December 7, 2006, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported the sale to an investor group led by Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson. Goodman is currently a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
teacher at HighTech-LA in Lake Balboa and was a former executive for Intermedia Films. Christofferson is a litigation attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
for the O’Melveny & Myers law firm and was Miss North Dakota USA
Miss North Dakota USA
The Miss North Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Dakota in the Miss USA pageant.North Dakota has had only three placements and have never won the Miss USA crown. Their highest placement was in 1966 when Judy Slayton placed 3rd runner-up to...
in 1989. The day after the sale was announced, team star Lisa Leslie announced that she was pregnant and would not play in the WNBA in the 2007 season despite Michael Cooper's return to the team as head coach.
The loss of Leslie for the year proved devastating, as the Sparks posted a league-worst 10–24 record. The record was also the worst in Sparks history, as the Sparks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
Candace Parker joins the WNBA (2008–present)
Before the start of the 2008 season, the team's prospects improved dramatically. Lisa Leslie returned to the team, and on April 9, 2008, the team used its number-one draft pick to select Candace ParkerCandace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
, the college player of the year, the morning after Parker had led the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
Lady Vols to their second-straight NCAA championship.
In 2008, the Sparks posted a 20-14 record and finished third in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
2-1 to reach the Western Conference Finals and compete against the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
. The Sparks were on track to win game 2 of the series, but Silver Star Sophia Young
Sophia Young
Sophia Yvonne Ashley Young is a Vincentian professional women's basketball player with the San Antonio Silver Stars in the WNBA...
made a turn around bank-shot with a second left on the clock to force the series to a deciding game three. The Sparks lost game three, and the Silver Stars moved on to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Following the 2008 season, Parker announced that she was pregnant. To compensate for Parker's absence, the Sparks signed free agent Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
who was from former rival Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
. Thompson, the four-time WNBA champ and eight-time WNBA All-Star, also went to college with Leslie at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
The 2009 season started poorly for the Sparks. Candace Parker began the season on maternity leave, and Lisa Leslie suffered a knee injury early in the season. Both Leslie and Parker returned to the court in July, however, sparking a 10-2 run which turned an 8-14 start into an 18-16 regular season record and clinching the Sparks' tenth playoff appearance in their 13-year history. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sparks defeated the Seattle Storm for the third time in 4 years. In the Western Conference Finals, the Sparks' lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in 3 games. The end of the 2009 playoff run marked the end of Leslie's career as a player and Cooper's second tenure as Sparks' head coach. In the offseason, former Sparks player Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
became the team's new head coach.
The 2010 season began with high hopes for the Sparks. Led by former All-Star point guard Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro is a Portuguese professional basketball player who plays for Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA...
, the Sparks believed they had the pieces to contend for a championship. However, superstar Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
had season-ending shoulder surgery after the team started just 3-7. Without her, the Sparks struggled, finishing 13-21. Fortunately for the Sparks, this was good enough to qualify them for fourth place in the Western Conference, but they were swept by the eventual champion Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in the first round.
The 2011 season was eerily reminiscent of the previous year for the Sparks. The team started 4-3 but again Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
sustained an injury. Following three more losses, the Sparks fired head coach Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
, promoting previous Sparks coach Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
. With Parker out until the end of the season, the Sparks continued to struggle, heading into the All-Star break
2011 WNBA All-Star Game
The 2011 WNBA All-Star Game was played on July 23, 2011 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, home of the San Antonio Silver Stars. The game was the 10th WNBA All-Star Game, which has been held annually since 1999 except in 2004, 2008, and 2010...
6-8 and in fifth place.
Current home
The Los Angeles Sparks currently play in the Staples CenterStaples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The capacity for a Sparks game is 13,141 because the upper level is closed off (capacity for a Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
game is 18,997). The Sparks have played in the Staples Center since 2001
2001 WNBA season
-External links:**...
. Their previous home was the Great Western Forum, but the Sparks organization moved after claiming "the Forum" was the reason for the low attendance at Sparks games.
Uniforms
- 2011-present: As part of the move to AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
's Revolution 30 technology, the Sparks unveiled new jerseys. Home uniforms remain gold, but numbers are now rounded and in white with purple trim. Away uniforms are purple with numbers in white with gold trim. The Farmers Insurance name will remain on the jerseys. - 2009-2010: On June 5, the Los Angeles Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership that includes a branded jersey sponsorship. The Farmers Insurance branded jersey was worn by the players for the first time on June 6, 2009. As part of this alliance, the Farmers Insurance name and logo will appear on the front of the Sparks jerseys. In the 2009 season, the Sparks yellow jersey is used regardless of home or away. In the 2010 season they introduced the purple jersey for away games.
- 2007–2008: For home games, gold with purple lines and sparks on the side, with the name "Sparks" written across in purple. For away games, purple with golden yellow lines and sparks on the side, with the name "Los Angeles" in yellow. The uniform looks similar to the Los Angeles Lakers' uniform.
- 1997–2006: For home games, gold with large purple stripe on the side, with the name "Sparks" written across in purple. For away games, purple with large gold stripe on the side, with the name "Los Angeles" in yellow.
Season-by-season records
{|class="navbox wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align: center; width: 85%;"|-
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 10%;"| Season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 8%;" | Team
!rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 12%;" | Conference
!colspan="3" style="background:#eee; width: 15%;"| Regular season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 30%;"| Playoff
WNBA Playoffs
The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals....
Results
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 13%;"| Head coach
|-
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|W
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|L
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|PCT
|-
|colspan="9" align=center bgcolor="#5c2f83" | Los Angeles Sparks
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1997
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
| 1997
1997 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1997 WNBA season was the 1st season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Division with a record of 14 wins and 14 losses.-Initial Player Allocation:-WNBA Draft:-Regular season:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 2nd
| 14
| 14
| .500
| Did not qualify
| L. Sharp
Linda K. Sharp
Linda K. Sharp is a former collegiate women's basketball coach. Her coaching career spans 31 seasons with stints on all levels from elementary, junior high and high school to the collegiate and professional ranks, and she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.Sharp served as...
(4–7)
J. Rousseau (10–7)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1998
1998 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 1998
1998 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1998 WNBA season was the 2nd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks missed out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It would be the last season they missed the playoffs until the 2007 season.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 3rd
| 12
| 18
| .400
| Did not qualify
| J. Rousseau (7–13)
O. Woolridge
Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
(5–5)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1999
1999 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 1999
1999 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1999 WNBA season was the 3rd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they fell in the Conference Finals to eventual champion Houston Comets.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 2nd
| 20
| 12
| .625
| Won Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 1–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 1–2)
| Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2000
2000 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 2000
2000 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2000 WNBA season was the 4th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team set a 28-4 record, the best in league history, but they were unable to go for the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals in a sweep to the Houston Comets.-Offseason:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Phoenix
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
, 2–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 0–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2001
2001 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 2001
2001 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks won their first WNBA Finals.-WNBA Draft:-Season Schedule:-Playoffs:-Player stats:-Awards and honors:*Lisa Leslie, WNBA Finals MVP Award...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 2–1)
Won WNBA Finals (Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2002
2002 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2002
2002 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2002 WNBA season was the 6th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks ended the season winning the WNBA Finals for the second straight year.-Season Schedule:-Player stats:-References:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 25
| 7
| .781
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Utah
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
, 2–0)
Won WNBA Finals (New York
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2003
2003 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2003
2003 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2003 WNBA season was the 7th season for the Los Angeles Sparks franchise. The Sparks reached the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive season, but fell to the Detroit Shock in three games.-Dispersal Draft:-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 24
| 10
| .706
| Won Conference Semifinals (Minnesota
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
, 2–1)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 2–1)
Lost WNBA Finals (Detroit
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2004
2004 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2004
2004 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2004 WNBA season was the 8th for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks' head coach, Michael Cooper, left the team during the season. Despite with that, the team finished in first place in the West, but they were unable to make another playoff run, losing in the opening round to the Sacramento...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 1–2)
| M. Cooper (14–6)
K. Thompson (11–3)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2005
2005 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2005
2005 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2005 WNBA season was the 9th for the Los Angeles Sparks. Despite making the playoffs, they played mediocre basketball all season long, and they were not considered a playoff factor, as they were swept in the Conference Semifinals to eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs.-WNBA Draft:-Season...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 4th
| 17
| 17
| .500
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 0–2)
| H. Bibby
Henry Bibby
Charles Henry Bibby is a former professional basketball player who became a coach after his playing days were over.- Playing career :...
(13–16)
J. Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
(4–1)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2006
2006 WNBA season
-External links:*******...
| 2006
2006 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2006 WNBA season was the 10th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team went for the best record in the West, but were still unable to return to the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals to the Sacramento Monarchs, 2 games to 0.-WNBA Draft:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 0–2)
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2007
2007 WNBA season
-External links:* * * * * * * *...
| 2007
2007 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2007 WNBA season was the eleventh for the Los Angeles Sparks.-WNBA Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-External links:*...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 7th
| 10
| 24
| .294
| Did not qualify
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2008
2008 WNBA season
-Season Highlights:*Candace Parker becomes the second and third player in WNBA history to dunk in a regular season game.*A fight breaks out between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock resulting in four ejections and ten suspensions....
| 2008
2008 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 12th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2006.-Offseason:The following player was selected in the Expansion Draft:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 3rd
| 20
| 14
| .588
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (San Antonio
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2009
2009 WNBA season
The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008...
| 2009
2009 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season is the 13th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Lisa Leslie announced that the 2009 season would be her last. On June 5, the Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 3rd
| 18
| 16
| .529
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Phoenix
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2010
2010 WNBA season
The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star...
| 2010
2010 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2010 WNBA season is the 14th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-Dispersal draft:Based on the Sparks' 2009 record, they would pick 8th in the Sacramento Monarchs dispersal draft...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 4th
| 13
| 21
| .382
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 0–2)
| Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2011
2011 WNBA season
The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began on June 3 with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Minnesota Lynx, featuring 2011 WNBA Draft top pick Maya Moore, in a game televised on NBA TV...
| 2011
2011 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-WNBA Draft:The following are the Sparks' selections in the 2011 WNBA Draft.-Transaction log:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 5th
| 15
| 19
| .441
| Did not qualify
| J. Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
(4–6)
J. Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
(11–13)
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Regular season
|style="background:#eee;"| 294
|style="background:#eee;"| 198
|style="background:#eee;"| .598
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 3 Conference Championships
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Playoffs
|style="background:#eee;"| 30
|style="background:#eee;"| 24
|style="background:#eee;"| .555
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 2 WNBA Championships
|}
Former players
- hannon Bobbitt] (2008-2009), now a member of the Indiana FeverIndiana FeverThe Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
- Latasha ByearsLatasha ByearsLatasha Nashay Byears is a former American professional women's basketball player. She played in the WNBA for the Sacramento Monarchs, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Washington Mystics, and the for the Houston Comets...
(2001–2003) - Tamecka DixonTamecka DixonTamecka Michelle Dixon is an American professional basketball player. She announced her retirement prior to the 2010 WNBA season.-High school:...
(1997–2005) - Marie Ferdinand-Harris (2008–2010), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
- Ukari FiggsUkari FiggsUkari Okien Figgs is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.- High School and College years :...
(1999–2001) - Allison FeasterAllison FeasterAllison Sharlene Feaster, née Feaster-Strong , is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA's Indiana Fever. She was on the roster of the Charlotte Sting when the team folded in January 2007...
(1997-1999) - Jennifer GillomJennifer GillomJennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
(2003) - Chamique HoldsclawChamique HoldsclawChamique Shaunta Holdsclaw is a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association most recently under a contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars...
(2005–2007) - Temeka JohnsonTemeka JohnsonTemeka Rochelle Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. Her primary position is point guard.-College years:...
(2006–2008), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Betty LennoxBetty LennoxBetty Bernice Lennox is an American professional basketball player most recently playing for the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA. Her nicknames include "Betty Basketball," "Betty Big Buckets," and her most popular nickname "B-Money."-Childhood:Betty grew up in the small town of Grant, OK. Daughter of...
(2009–2010), now a member of the Tulsa Shock - Lisa LeslieLisa LeslieLisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(1997–2009) - Mwadi MabikaMwadi MabikaMwadi Mabika is a Congolese basketball player and an All-Star in the Women's National Basketball Association ....
(1997–2007) - Taj McWilliams-Franklin (2007), now a member of the Minnesota LynxMinnesota LynxThe Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
- Murriel PageMurriel PageLaMurriel "Murriel" Page is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a forward and center in the Women's National Basketball Association for eleven seasons. Page played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was drafted in the first round of the 1998...
(2006–2008) - Sidney SpencerSidney SpencerSidney Spencer is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.Sidney attended the University of Tennessee, and in April 2007 led the team to the national championship. That same month, she was selected in the 2nd round of the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks...
(2007-2009), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Nikki TeasleyNikki TeasleyNikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(2002–2005) - Penny TolerPenny TolerPenny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
(1997–1999), now the Sparks' General Manager - Tamika WhitmoreTamika WhitmoreTamika Whitmore is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-College years:She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship...
(2004–2005) - Sophia WitherspoonSophia WitherspoonSophia L. Witherspoon is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a guard for seven seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association . Witherspoon played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was selected in the second round of the 1997 WNBA Draft...
(2002–2003) - Haixia ZhengHaixia ZhengZheng Haixia is a Chinese retired professional women's basketball player for the China women's national basketball team and the Women's National Basketball Association.-International career:...
(1997–1998)
Owners
- Jerry BussJerry BussGerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, owner of the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(1997–2006) - Gemini Basketball LLC, composed of Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lynai Jones (2007–2011)
- Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (2011–present)
Head coaches
{| class="toccolours" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFB410" | Los Angeles Sparks head coaches
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="15%" rowspan="2" | Name
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | Start
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | End
! width="5%" rowspan="2" | Seasons
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Regular season
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Playoffs
|-
! W !! L !! PCT !! G !! W !! L !! PCT !! G
|-
| Linda Sharp || Beginning of 1997
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
|| July 16, 1997 || 1 || width="5%"|4 || width="5%"|7 || width="5%"|.364 || width="5%"|11 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Julie Rousseau || July 16, 1997 || July 30, 1998 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|20 || width="5%"|.459 || width="5%"|37 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
|| July 30, 1998 || October 2, 1999 || 2 || width="5%"|25 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|.595 || width="5%"|42 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|4
|-
| Michael Cooper || October 14, 1999 || July 18, 2004 || 5 || width="5%"|119 || width="5%"|31 || width="5%"|.793 || width="5%"|150 ||width="5%"|19 || width="5%"|8 || width="5%"|.704 || width="5%"|27
|-
| Karleen Thompson || July 18, 2004 || End of 2004
2004 WNBA season
-External links:***...
|| 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.786 || width="5%"|14 ||width="5%"|1 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.333 || width="5%"|3
|-
| Henry Bibby
Henry Bibby
Charles Henry Bibby is a former professional basketball player who became a coach after his playing days were over.- Playing career :...
|| April 7, 2005 || August 22, 2005 || 1 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|16 || width="5%"|.448 || width="5%"|29 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|| August 22, 2005 || April 4, 2007 || 2 || width="5%"|29 || width="5%"|10 || width="5%"|.744 || width="5%"|39 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|-
| Michael Cooper || April 4, 2007 || End of 2009
2009 WNBA season
The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008...
|| 3 || width="5%"|48 || width="5%"|54 || width="5%"|.471 || width="5%"|102 ||width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|6
|-
| Michael Cooper || colspan=2|Total || 8 || width="5%"|167 || width="5%"|85 || width="5%"|.663 || width="5%"|252 ||width="5%"|22 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|.667 || width="5%"|33
|-
| Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
|| December 14, 2009 || July 11, 2011 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|27 || width="5%"|.386 || width="5%"|44 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|2
|-
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|| July 11, 2011 || Current || 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|.458 || width="5%"|24 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|| colspan=2|Total || 3 || width="5%"|40 || width="5%"|23 || width="5%"|.635 || width="5%"|63 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|}
Assistant coaches
- Julie Rousseau (1997)
- Orlando WoolridgeOrlando WoolridgeOrlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
(1998) - Michael Cooper (1999)
- Marianne Stanley (2000, 2008–2009)
- Glenn McDonaldGlenn McDonaldGlenn McDonald is a retired American professional basketball player. He played three seasons for the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks before going overseas most notably with the U/Tex Wranglers in the early-80's...
(2000–2002) - Karleen Thompson (2002–2004)
- Ryan WeisenbergRyan WeisenbergRyan Weisenberg, is an American basketball coach.Weisenberg attended St. Francis High School, a catholic high school in La Cañada Flintridge, California, where he lettered in basketball, football, and baseball. Weisenberg attended Azusa Pacific University, receiving a master in education, and...
(2003–2004) - Bob Webb (2005)
- Shelley Patterson (2005)
- Michael Abraham (2006–2007)
- Margaret Mohr (2006–2007)
- Laura Beeman (2008–2009)
- Larry SmithLarry Smith (basketball)Larry Smith is a former American professional basketball player. A 6'8" forward/center from Alcorn State University, Smith spent 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association , playing for the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs...
(2008) - Steve Smith (2010)
- Sandy BrondelloSandy BrondelloSandra Anne Brondello is an Australian women's basketball player who played in Australia and the WNBA before retiring to become a coach, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. The 1.70 m Brondello is one of Australia's all-time best shooting guards...
(2011–present) - Joe BryantJoe BryantJoseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
(2011)
Statistics
{| class="toccolours" width=80% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Los Angeles Sparks statistics
|- valign="top"
|
1990s
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
|-
| 1997
1997 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1997 WNBA season was the 1st season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Division with a record of 14 wins and 14 losses.-Initial Player Allocation:-WNBA Draft:-Regular season:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(15.9)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.5)
| P. Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
(5.1)
| 74.0 vs 71.8
| 34.8 vs 32.9
| .446 vs .397
|-
| 1998
1998 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1998 WNBA season was the 2nd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks missed out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It would be the last season they missed the playoffs until the 2007 season.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(19.6)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(10.2)
| P. Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
(4.8)
| 71.6 vs 72.3
| 34.0 vs 33.3
| .416 vs .411
|-
| 1999
1999 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1999 WNBA season was the 3rd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they fell in the Conference Finals to eventual champion Houston Comets.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(15.6)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(7.8)
| M. Mabika
Mwadi Mabika
Mwadi Mabika is a Congolese basketball player and an All-Star in the Women's National Basketball Association ....
(3.5)
| 76.5 vs 72.4
| 33.3 vs 32.2
| .435 vs .410
|}
|
2000s
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
|-
| 2000
2000 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2000 WNBA season was the 4th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team set a 28-4 record, the best in league history, but they were unable to go for the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals in a sweep to the Houston Comets.-Offseason:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(17.8)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
Ukari Figgs
Ukari Okien Figgs is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.- High School and College years :...
(4.0)
| 75.5 vs 67.8
| 34.1 vs 30.6
| .440 vs .395
|-
| 2001
2001 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks won their first WNBA Finals.-WNBA Draft:-Season Schedule:-Playoffs:-Player stats:-Awards and honors:*Lisa Leslie, WNBA Finals MVP Award...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(19.5)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
Ukari Figgs
Ukari Okien Figgs is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.- High School and College years :...
(3.9)
| 76.3 vs 67.7
| 34.5 vs 28.8
| .451 vs .392
|-
| 2002
2002 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2002 WNBA season was the 6th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks ended the season winning the WNBA Finals for the second straight year.-Season Schedule:-Player stats:-References:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(16.9)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(10.4)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(4.4)
| 76.6 vs 69.8
| 35.7 vs 30.0
| .445 vs .390
|-
| 2003
2003 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2003 WNBA season was the 7th season for the Los Angeles Sparks franchise. The Sparks reached the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive season, but fell to the Detroit Shock in three games.-Dispersal Draft:-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(18.4)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(10.0)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(6.3)
| 73.5 vs 71.5
| 33.8 vs 32.5
| .418 vs .403
|-
| 2004
2004 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2004 WNBA season was the 8th for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks' head coach, Michael Cooper, left the team during the season. Despite with that, the team finished in first place in the West, but they were unable to make another playoff run, losing in the opening round to the Sacramento...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(17.6)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.9)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(6.1)
| 73.4 vs 69.4
| 33.0 vs 31.4
| .437 vs .389
|-
| 2005
2005 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2005 WNBA season was the 9th for the Los Angeles Sparks. Despite making the playoffs, they played mediocre basketball all season long, and they were not considered a playoff factor, as they were swept in the Conference Semifinals to eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs.-WNBA Draft:-Season...
| C. Holdsclaw
Chamique Holdsclaw
Chamique Shaunta Holdsclaw is a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association most recently under a contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars...
(17.0)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(7.3)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(3.7)
| 68.4 vs 69.0
| 29.5 vs 30.6
| .428 vs .418
|-
| 2006
2006 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2006 WNBA season was the 10th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team went for the best record in the West, but were still unable to return to the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals to the Sacramento Monarchs, 2 games to 0.-WNBA Draft:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(20.0)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.5)
| T. Johnson
Temeka Johnson
Temeka Rochelle Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. Her primary position is point guard.-College years:...
(5.0)
| 75.7 vs 72.8
| 35.4 vs 31.8
| .438 vs .400
|-
| 2007
2007 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2007 WNBA season was the eleventh for the Los Angeles Sparks.-WNBA Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-External links:*...
| T. McWilliams (11.1)
| T. McWilliams (5.9)
| S. Baker
Sherill Baker
Sherill Shavette Baker is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, most recently for the Detroit Shock....
(3.2)
| 74.5 vs 79.6
| 33.5 vs 34.7
| .408 vs .431
|-
| 2008
2008 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 12th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2006.-Offseason:The following player was selected in the Expansion Draft:...
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(18.5)
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(9.5)
| S. Bobbitt
Shannon Bobbitt
Shannon Denise Bobbitt is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA's Indiana Fever. One of eight children and a native of the Bronx, New York Bobbitt honed her basketball skills on the neighborhood project courts of Harlem...
(3.5)
| 76.4 vs 74.2
| 37.7 vs 33.1
| .424 vs .384
|-
| 2009
2009 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season is the 13th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Lisa Leslie announced that the 2009 season would be her last. On June 5, the Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(15.4)
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(9.8)
| N. Quinn
Noelle Quinn
Noelle Quinn is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.-High school:...
(3.5)
| 74.5 vs 73.5
| 36.7 vs 30.9
| .430 vs .399
|}
|
The Los Angeles Sparks is a professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team based in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, playing in the Western Conference
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
in the Women's National Basketball Association
Women's National Basketball Association
The Women's National Basketball Association is a women's professional basketball league in the United States. It currently is composed of twelve teams. The league was founded on April 24, 1996 as the women's counterpart to the National Basketball Association...
(WNBA). The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
began. The team is owned by Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison, majority owner) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (minority owners). Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
and the Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Clippers
The Los Angeles Clippers are a professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California, United States. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
The Sparks have qualified for the WNBA Playoffs
WNBA Playoffs
The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals....
in eleven of their fourteen years in Los Angeles. The franchise has been home to many high-quality players such as 6 foot 5 inch center Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
, Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
standout Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
, flashy point guard Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
and nearby USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
product Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
. In 2001, 2002
2002 WNBA Finals
The 2002 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2002 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the New York Liberty, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in a...
and 2003
2003 WNBA Finals
The 2003 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2003 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Detroit Shock, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, two games to one in a...
, the Sparks went to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
. They won the title in 2001 and 2002, beating Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
and New York
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
, respectively, but fell short to Detroit
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in 2003.
Being in a major national market, the Sparks have always been a focal point of the league; they faced New York in the league's inaugural game on June 21, 1997. Like the Tulsa Shock, the Sparks are one of the two WNBA franchises whose city also has an NBA D-League team, the D-Fenders
Los Angeles D-Fenders
The Los Angeles D-Fenders are a NBA Development League team based in Los Angeles, California. Founded in 2006, the team is owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, which became the first National Basketball Association franchise to own a D-League team...
.
In the shadow of the Comets (1997–2000)
The 1997 WNBA season1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
, the league's first, opened with a game between the Sparks and the New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
at the Sparks home (The Forum
The Forum (Inglewood, California)
The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
) in Inglewood
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
. The Sparks lost the game 57-67. Sparks player Penny Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
scored the league's first two points with a lay-up 59 seconds into the game. The Sparks had what many considered to be a disappointing season in 1997, finishing with a record of 14–14. The team did compete for a playoff spot, but because of a loss to the Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in the final game of the season, the Sparks missed the playoffs. In the 1998 WNBA season
1998 WNBA season
-External links:**...
, the Sparks finished 12–18, missing the playoffs once more.
The 1999 season
1999 WNBA season
-External links:**...
featured the development of Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
and the Sparks' first playoff berth, as the Sparks posted a 20–12 record. The Sparks won their first playoff game and series with a win over the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
. They played a competitive Western Conference
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
Finals but fell to the defending champion Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 2 games to 1, in the three-game series.
The 2000 season
2000 WNBA season
-External links:**...
was a record one, as the Sparks tore up the WNBA with a 28–4 record, the best in league history, and second only to the 1998 Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
for best all-time. In the playoffs, the Sparks swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round but lost in the Western Conference Finals again, when they were swept by the Comets. Ultimately, the Sparks were playing in the shadow of the Comets, as they won the first four WNBA championships
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Sparks begin to fly (2001–2002)
The 2000-01 offseason saw a move to the Staples CenterStaples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
and an important coaching change, when the Sparks hired former Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
player Michael Cooper as head coach. During the ensuing regular season, the Sparks again posted a 28–4 record. In the 2001 playoffs, the Sparks finally eliminated the Comets, sweeping them in the first round. The Sparks took all three games to eliminate the Monarchs to earn their first berth in the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
, in which they swept the Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
, 2–0, for their first league championship.
In 2002, Leslie became the first woman in the league to dunk the ball during a game, and once again the Sparks dominated the regular season, posting a 25–7 record. The Sparks then flew through the playoffs, sweeping both the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
and the Utah Starzz
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
. In the finals, the Sparks were matched against the Liberty, who were still looking for their first championship. A late three in game 2 by Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
gave the Sparks their second consecutive championship.
Battle for the three-peat (2003)
In 2003, the Sparks posted a 24–10 record and went into the playoffs looking for a "three-peat." Both the first and the second rounds were forced to decided third games, as they beat the Minnesota LynxMinnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
and Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
. The Sparks then faced the upstart Detroit Shock
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
in the Finals. The Shock were on a roll after having been the worst team in the WNBA in 2002
2002 WNBA season
-External links:***...
. The Finals were a battle fueled by the relationship between head coaches Michael Cooper (Sparks) and Bill Laimbeer
Bill Laimbeer
William "Bill" Laimbeer, Jr. is a retired National Basketball Association player for the Detroit Pistons. Playing at center, the 6'11" Laimbeer was a four-time All-Star and integral part of the Pistons teams that won two championships...
(Shock) which stemmed back to their days in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The rough road to the finals and the tough play of the Shock wore down the Sparks, which lost the series, two games to one, and failed to three-peat.
End of the glory days (2004–2006)
During the 2003-04 off season, the Sparks signed two standout players, Tamika WhitmoreTamika Whitmore
Tamika Whitmore is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-College years:She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship...
and Teresa Weatherspoon
Teresa Weatherspoon
-Personal:Weatherspoon was born to Charles and Rowena Weatherspoon in Pineland, Texas. Her father, Charles Sr., played minor league baseball in the Minnesota Twins' farm system, and holds the record for the most grand slams in a minor league game. Weatherspoon has two brothers and three sisters...
, both of whom had played for the rival New York Liberty
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
. When the season began, the Sparks got off to a great start, but coach Cooper left at midseason to seek a coaching job in the NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. The loss of their coach was a factor in the team's so-so finish to the season, which ended with a record of 25–9. During the playoffs, the team stumbled, losing in three games to the Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
.
The Sparks stumbled and never recovered through the 2005 season and finished with a 17–17 record. They barely made the playoffs; they received the number-four seed. In the first round, the Sparks were outplayed and swept by the eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
.
In 2006, the Sparks played much better, posting a 25–9 record. In the playoffs, they defeated the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in three games. However, in the Western Conference finals, the Sparks' season was ended by the Monarchs for the third year in a row.
Leslie's pregnancy (2007)
After the 2006 season ended, team owner Jerry BussJerry Buss
Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, who also owned the Lakers, announced he was selling the Sparks. On December 7, 2006, the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
reported the sale to an investor group led by Kathy Goodman and Carla Christofferson. Goodman is currently a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
teacher at HighTech-LA in Lake Balboa and was a former executive for Intermedia Films. Christofferson is a litigation attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
for the O’Melveny & Myers law firm and was Miss North Dakota USA
Miss North Dakota USA
The Miss North Dakota USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of North Dakota in the Miss USA pageant.North Dakota has had only three placements and have never won the Miss USA crown. Their highest placement was in 1966 when Judy Slayton placed 3rd runner-up to...
in 1989. The day after the sale was announced, team star Lisa Leslie announced that she was pregnant and would not play in the WNBA in the 2007 season despite Michael Cooper's return to the team as head coach.
The loss of Leslie for the year proved devastating, as the Sparks posted a league-worst 10–24 record. The record was also the worst in Sparks history, as the Sparks missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998.
Candace Parker joins the WNBA (2008–present)
Before the start of the 2008 season, the team's prospects improved dramatically. Lisa Leslie returned to the team, and on April 9, 2008, the team used its number-one draft pick to select Candace ParkerCandace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
, the college player of the year, the morning after Parker had led the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
Lady Vols to their second-straight NCAA championship.
In 2008, the Sparks posted a 20-14 record and finished third in the Western Conference. In the playoffs, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
2-1 to reach the Western Conference Finals and compete against the San Antonio Silver Stars
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
. The Sparks were on track to win game 2 of the series, but Silver Star Sophia Young
Sophia Young
Sophia Yvonne Ashley Young is a Vincentian professional women's basketball player with the San Antonio Silver Stars in the WNBA...
made a turn around bank-shot with a second left on the clock to force the series to a deciding game three. The Sparks lost game three, and the Silver Stars moved on to the WNBA Finals
WNBA Finals
The WNBA Finals is the championship series of the Women's National Basketball Association and the conclusion of the sport's postseason each fall. The series was named the WNBA Championship until 2002....
.
Following the 2008 season, Parker announced that she was pregnant. To compensate for Parker's absence, the Sparks signed free agent Tina Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
who was from former rival Houston Comets
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
. Thompson, the four-time WNBA champ and eight-time WNBA All-Star, also went to college with Leslie at USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
The 2009 season started poorly for the Sparks. Candace Parker began the season on maternity leave, and Lisa Leslie suffered a knee injury early in the season. Both Leslie and Parker returned to the court in July, however, sparking a 10-2 run which turned an 8-14 start into an 18-16 regular season record and clinching the Sparks' tenth playoff appearance in their 13-year history. In the first round of the playoffs, the Sparks defeated the Seattle Storm for the third time in 4 years. In the Western Conference Finals, the Sparks' lost to the eventual champion Phoenix Mercury
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
in 3 games. The end of the 2009 playoff run marked the end of Leslie's career as a player and Cooper's second tenure as Sparks' head coach. In the offseason, former Sparks player Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
became the team's new head coach.
The 2010 season began with high hopes for the Sparks. Led by former All-Star point guard Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro is a Portuguese professional basketball player who plays for Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA...
, the Sparks believed they had the pieces to contend for a championship. However, superstar Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
had season-ending shoulder surgery after the team started just 3-7. Without her, the Sparks struggled, finishing 13-21. Fortunately for the Sparks, this was good enough to qualify them for fourth place in the Western Conference, but they were swept by the eventual champion Seattle Storm
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
in the first round.
The 2011 season was eerily reminiscent of the previous year for the Sparks. The team started 4-3 but again Candace Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
sustained an injury. Following three more losses, the Sparks fired head coach Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
, promoting previous Sparks coach Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
. With Parker out until the end of the season, the Sparks continued to struggle, heading into the All-Star break
2011 WNBA All-Star Game
The 2011 WNBA All-Star Game was played on July 23, 2011 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas, home of the San Antonio Silver Stars. The game was the 10th WNBA All-Star Game, which has been held annually since 1999 except in 2004, 2008, and 2010...
6-8 and in fifth place.
Current home
The Los Angeles Sparks currently play in the Staples CenterStaples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. The capacity for a Sparks game is 13,141 because the upper level is closed off (capacity for a Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
game is 18,997). The Sparks have played in the Staples Center since 2001
2001 WNBA season
-External links:**...
. Their previous home was the Great Western Forum, but the Sparks organization moved after claiming "the Forum" was the reason for the low attendance at Sparks games.
Uniforms
- 2011-present: As part of the move to AdidasAdidasAdidas AG is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, TaylorMade-Adidas golf company , and Rockport...
's Revolution 30 technology, the Sparks unveiled new jerseys. Home uniforms remain gold, but numbers are now rounded and in white with purple trim. Away uniforms are purple with numbers in white with gold trim. The Farmers Insurance name will remain on the jerseys. - 2009-2010: On June 5, the Los Angeles Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership that includes a branded jersey sponsorship. The Farmers Insurance branded jersey was worn by the players for the first time on June 6, 2009. As part of this alliance, the Farmers Insurance name and logo will appear on the front of the Sparks jerseys. In the 2009 season, the Sparks yellow jersey is used regardless of home or away. In the 2010 season they introduced the purple jersey for away games.
- 2007–2008: For home games, gold with purple lines and sparks on the side, with the name "Sparks" written across in purple. For away games, purple with golden yellow lines and sparks on the side, with the name "Los Angeles" in yellow. The uniform looks similar to the Los Angeles Lakers' uniform.
- 1997–2006: For home games, gold with large purple stripe on the side, with the name "Sparks" written across in purple. For away games, purple with large gold stripe on the side, with the name "Los Angeles" in yellow.
Season-by-season records
{|class="navbox wikitable" style="font-size:95%; text-align: center; width: 85%;"|-
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 10%;"| Season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 8%;" | Team
!rowspan="2" colspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 12%;" | Conference
!colspan="3" style="background:#eee; width: 15%;"| Regular season
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 30%;"| Playoff
WNBA Playoffs
The WNBA Playoffs is a best-of-three elimination tournament between eight teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association , ultimately deciding the final two teams who will play in the WNBA Finals....
Results
!rowspan="2" style="background:#eee; width: 13%;"| Head coach
|-
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|W
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|L
!style="background:#eee; width: 5%;"|PCT
|-
|colspan="9" align=center bgcolor="#5c2f83" | Los Angeles Sparks
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1997
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
| 1997
1997 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1997 WNBA season was the 1st season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Division with a record of 14 wins and 14 losses.-Initial Player Allocation:-WNBA Draft:-Regular season:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 2nd
| 14
| 14
| .500
| Did not qualify
| L. Sharp
Linda K. Sharp
Linda K. Sharp is a former collegiate women's basketball coach. Her coaching career spans 31 seasons with stints on all levels from elementary, junior high and high school to the collegiate and professional ranks, and she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001.Sharp served as...
(4–7)
J. Rousseau (10–7)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1998
1998 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 1998
1998 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1998 WNBA season was the 2nd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks missed out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It would be the last season they missed the playoffs until the 2007 season.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 3rd
| 12
| 18
| .400
| Did not qualify
| J. Rousseau (7–13)
O. Woolridge
Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
(5–5)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 1999
1999 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 1999
1999 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1999 WNBA season was the 3rd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they fell in the Conference Finals to eventual champion Houston Comets.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 2nd
| 20
| 12
| .625
| Won Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 1–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 1–2)
| Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2000
2000 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 2000
2000 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2000 WNBA season was the 4th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team set a 28-4 record, the best in league history, but they were unable to go for the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals in a sweep to the Houston Comets.-Offseason:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Phoenix
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
, 2–0)
Lost Conference Finals (Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 0–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2001
2001 WNBA season
-External links:**...
| 2001
2001 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks won their first WNBA Finals.-WNBA Draft:-Season Schedule:-Playoffs:-Player stats:-Awards and honors:*Lisa Leslie, WNBA Finals MVP Award...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 28
| 4
| .875
| Won Conference Semifinals (Houston
Houston Comets
The Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 2–1)
Won WNBA Finals (Charlotte
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2002
2002 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2002
2002 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2002 WNBA season was the 6th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks ended the season winning the WNBA Finals for the second straight year.-Season Schedule:-Player stats:-References:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 25
| 7
| .781
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–0)
Won Conference Finals (Utah
Utah Starzz
The Utah Starzz were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. They began play in the 1997 WNBA season as one of the league's eight original teams. The Starzz relocated, in 2003, to San Antonio, Texas where the team became the San Antonio Silver Stars...
, 2–0)
Won WNBA Finals (New York
New York Liberty
The New York Liberty is a professional basketball team based in New York City, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was one of the eight original franchises of the league...
, 2–0)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2003
2003 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2003
2003 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2003 WNBA season was the 7th season for the Los Angeles Sparks franchise. The Sparks reached the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive season, but fell to the Detroit Shock in three games.-Dispersal Draft:-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 24
| 10
| .706
| Won Conference Semifinals (Minnesota
Minnesota Lynx
The Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
, 2–1)
Won Conference Finals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 2–1)
Lost WNBA Finals (Detroit
Detroit Shock
The Detroit Shock was a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. They were the 2003, 2006 and 2008 WNBA champion...
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2004
2004 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2004
2004 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2004 WNBA season was the 8th for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks' head coach, Michael Cooper, left the team during the season. Despite with that, the team finished in first place in the West, but they were unable to make another playoff run, losing in the opening round to the Sacramento...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 1–2)
| M. Cooper (14–6)
K. Thompson (11–3)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2005
2005 WNBA season
-External links:***...
| 2005
2005 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2005 WNBA season was the 9th for the Los Angeles Sparks. Despite making the playoffs, they played mediocre basketball all season long, and they were not considered a playoff factor, as they were swept in the Conference Semifinals to eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs.-WNBA Draft:-Season...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 4th
| 17
| 17
| .500
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 0–2)
| H. Bibby
Henry Bibby
Charles Henry Bibby is a former professional basketball player who became a coach after his playing days were over.- Playing career :...
(13–16)
J. Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
(4–1)
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2006
2006 WNBA season
-External links:*******...
| 2006
2006 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2006 WNBA season was the 10th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team went for the best record in the West, but were still unable to return to the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals to the Sacramento Monarchs, 2 games to 0.-WNBA Draft:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 1st
| 25
| 9
| .735
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Sacramento
Sacramento Monarchs
The Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
, 0–2)
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2007
2007 WNBA season
-External links:* * * * * * * *...
| 2007
2007 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2007 WNBA season was the eleventh for the Los Angeles Sparks.-WNBA Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-External links:*...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 7th
| 10
| 24
| .294
| Did not qualify
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2008
2008 WNBA season
-Season Highlights:*Candace Parker becomes the second and third player in WNBA history to dunk in a regular season game.*A fight breaks out between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Detroit Shock resulting in four ejections and ten suspensions....
| 2008
2008 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 12th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2006.-Offseason:The following player was selected in the Expansion Draft:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 3rd
| 20
| 14
| .588
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (San Antonio
San Antonio Silver Stars
The San Antonio Silver Stars are a professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded in Salt Lake City, Utah before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; the team moved to San Antonio...
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2009
2009 WNBA season
The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008...
| 2009
2009 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season is the 13th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Lisa Leslie announced that the 2009 season would be her last. On June 5, the Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 3rd
| 18
| 16
| .529
| Won Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 2–1)
Lost Conference Finals (Phoenix
Phoenix Mercury
The Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
, 1–2)
| Michael Cooper
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2010
2010 WNBA season
The 2010 WNBA season was the 14th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began with a televised meeting between the defending champion Phoenix Mercury and the Los Angeles Sparks in Phoenix, Arizona on May 15. The Connecticut Sun hosted the 10th Annual All-Star...
| 2010
2010 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2010 WNBA season is the 14th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-Dispersal draft:Based on the Sparks' 2009 record, they would pick 8th in the Sacramento Monarchs dispersal draft...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 4th
| 13
| 21
| .382
| Lost Conference Semifinals (Seattle
Seattle Storm
The Seattle Storm is a professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
, 0–2)
| Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
|-align="center"
!style="background:#eee;"| 2011
2011 WNBA season
The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. The regular season began on June 3 with the Los Angeles Sparks hosting the Minnesota Lynx, featuring 2011 WNBA Draft top pick Maya Moore, in a game televised on NBA TV...
| 2011
2011 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-WNBA Draft:The following are the Sparks' selections in the 2011 WNBA Draft.-Transaction log:...
| style="width: 10%"|West
Western Conference (WNBA)
The Western Conference of the Women's National Basketball Association is made up of six teams.The Western Conference playoffs is divided into two playoff rounds, The Conference Semi-Finals and The Conference Finals with the winner of the Conference Championship facing the Eastern Conference...
| 5th
| 15
| 19
| .441
| Did not qualify
| J. Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
(4–6)
J. Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
(11–13)
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Regular season
|style="background:#eee;"| 294
|style="background:#eee;"| 198
|style="background:#eee;"| .598
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 3 Conference Championships
|-
!colspan="4" style="background:#eee;"|Playoffs
|style="background:#eee;"| 30
|style="background:#eee;"| 24
|style="background:#eee;"| .555
|colspan="2" style="background:#eee;"| 2 WNBA Championships
|}
Former players
- hannon Bobbitt] (2008-2009), now a member of the Indiana FeverIndiana FeverThe Indiana Fever is a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana, playing in the Eastern Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the 2000 season began...
- Latasha ByearsLatasha ByearsLatasha Nashay Byears is a former American professional women's basketball player. She played in the WNBA for the Sacramento Monarchs, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Washington Mystics, and the for the Houston Comets...
(2001–2003) - Tamecka DixonTamecka DixonTamecka Michelle Dixon is an American professional basketball player. She announced her retirement prior to the 2010 WNBA season.-High school:...
(1997–2005) - Marie Ferdinand-Harris (2008–2010), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises...
- Ukari FiggsUkari FiggsUkari Okien Figgs is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.- High School and College years :...
(1999–2001) - Allison FeasterAllison FeasterAllison Sharlene Feaster, née Feaster-Strong , is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA's Indiana Fever. She was on the roster of the Charlotte Sting when the team folded in January 2007...
(1997-1999) - Jennifer GillomJennifer GillomJennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
(2003) - Chamique HoldsclawChamique HoldsclawChamique Shaunta Holdsclaw is a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association most recently under a contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars...
(2005–2007) - Temeka JohnsonTemeka JohnsonTemeka Rochelle Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. Her primary position is point guard.-College years:...
(2006–2008), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Betty LennoxBetty LennoxBetty Bernice Lennox is an American professional basketball player most recently playing for the Tulsa Shock in the WNBA. Her nicknames include "Betty Basketball," "Betty Big Buckets," and her most popular nickname "B-Money."-Childhood:Betty grew up in the small town of Grant, OK. Daughter of...
(2009–2010), now a member of the Tulsa Shock - Lisa LeslieLisa LeslieLisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(1997–2009) - Mwadi MabikaMwadi MabikaMwadi Mabika is a Congolese basketball player and an All-Star in the Women's National Basketball Association ....
(1997–2007) - Taj McWilliams-Franklin (2007), now a member of the Minnesota LynxMinnesota LynxThe Minnesota Lynx are a professional basketball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded prior to the 1999 season...
- Murriel PageMurriel PageLaMurriel "Murriel" Page is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a forward and center in the Women's National Basketball Association for eleven seasons. Page played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was drafted in the first round of the 1998...
(2006–2008) - Sidney SpencerSidney SpencerSidney Spencer is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA.Sidney attended the University of Tennessee, and in April 2007 led the team to the national championship. That same month, she was selected in the 2nd round of the WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks...
(2007-2009), now a member of the Phoenix MercuryPhoenix MercuryThe Phoenix Mercury is a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona, playing in the Western Conference in the Women's National Basketball Association . The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began; it is one of the eight original franchises... - Nikki TeasleyNikki TeasleyNikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(2002–2005) - Penny TolerPenny TolerPenny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
(1997–1999), now the Sparks' General Manager - Tamika WhitmoreTamika WhitmoreTamika Whitmore is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA.-College years:She played collegiate basketball while attending the University of Memphis on a scholarship...
(2004–2005) - Sophia WitherspoonSophia WitherspoonSophia L. Witherspoon is a former American college and professional basketball player who was a guard for seven seasons in the Women's National Basketball Association . Witherspoon played college basketball for the University of Florida, and was selected in the second round of the 1997 WNBA Draft...
(2002–2003) - Haixia ZhengHaixia ZhengZheng Haixia is a Chinese retired professional women's basketball player for the China women's national basketball team and the Women's National Basketball Association.-International career:...
(1997–1998)
Owners
- Jerry BussJerry BussGerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss Ph.D., M.S. is an American businessman, real estate investor, and a former chemist. He is the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team along with other professional sports franchises in Southern California...
, owner of the Los Angeles LakersLos Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
(1997–2006) - Gemini Basketball LLC, composed of Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lynai Jones (2007–2011)
- Williams Group Holdings (Paula Madison) and Carla Christofferson, Kathy Goodman, and Lisa Leslie (2011–present)
Head coaches
{| class="toccolours" width=90% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFB410" | Los Angeles Sparks head coaches
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="15%" rowspan="2" | Name
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | Start
! width="10%" rowspan="2" | End
! width="5%" rowspan="2" | Seasons
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Regular season
! width="20%" colspan="4" | Playoffs
|-
! W !! L !! PCT !! G !! W !! L !! PCT !! G
|-
| Linda Sharp || Beginning of 1997
1997 WNBA Season
-External links:*...
|| July 16, 1997 || 1 || width="5%"|4 || width="5%"|7 || width="5%"|.364 || width="5%"|11 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Julie Rousseau || July 16, 1997 || July 30, 1998 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|20 || width="5%"|.459 || width="5%"|37 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Woolridge
Orlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
|| July 30, 1998 || October 2, 1999 || 2 || width="5%"|25 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|.595 || width="5%"|42 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|4
|-
| Michael Cooper || October 14, 1999 || July 18, 2004 || 5 || width="5%"|119 || width="5%"|31 || width="5%"|.793 || width="5%"|150 ||width="5%"|19 || width="5%"|8 || width="5%"|.704 || width="5%"|27
|-
| Karleen Thompson || July 18, 2004 || End of 2004
2004 WNBA season
-External links:***...
|| 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.786 || width="5%"|14 ||width="5%"|1 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.333 || width="5%"|3
|-
| Henry Bibby
Henry Bibby
Charles Henry Bibby is a former professional basketball player who became a coach after his playing days were over.- Playing career :...
|| April 7, 2005 || August 22, 2005 || 1 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|16 || width="5%"|.448 || width="5%"|29 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|| August 22, 2005 || April 4, 2007 || 2 || width="5%"|29 || width="5%"|10 || width="5%"|.744 || width="5%"|39 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|-
| Michael Cooper || April 4, 2007 || End of 2009
2009 WNBA season
The 2009 WNBA Season is the 13th season of the Women's National Basketball Association. It is the first WNBA season ever without a Houston franchise, the Comets having folded in December 2008...
|| 3 || width="5%"|48 || width="5%"|54 || width="5%"|.471 || width="5%"|102 ||width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|3 || width="5%"|.500 || width="5%"|6
|-
| Michael Cooper || colspan=2|Total || 8 || width="5%"|167 || width="5%"|85 || width="5%"|.663 || width="5%"|252 ||width="5%"|22 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|.667 || width="5%"|33
|-
| Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer Gillom
Jennifer "Grandmama" Gillom is a former WNBA basketball player who played for the Phoenix Mercury from 1997 to 2002...
|| December 14, 2009 || July 11, 2011 || 2 || width="5%"|17 || width="5%"|27 || width="5%"|.386 || width="5%"|44 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|2
|-
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|| July 11, 2011 || Current || 1 || width="5%"|11 || width="5%"|13 || width="5%"|.458 || width="5%"|24 ||width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|0 || width="5%"|.000 || width="5%"|0
|-
| Joe Bryant
Joe Bryant
Joseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
|| colspan=2|Total || 3 || width="5%"|40 || width="5%"|23 || width="5%"|.635 || width="5%"|63 ||width="5%"|2 || width="5%"|5 || width="5%"|.286 || width="5%"|7
|}
Assistant coaches
- Julie Rousseau (1997)
- Orlando WoolridgeOrlando WoolridgeOrlando Vernada Woolridge is a former professional basketball player in the NBA.- Early life and education :...
(1998) - Michael Cooper (1999)
- Marianne Stanley (2000, 2008–2009)
- Glenn McDonaldGlenn McDonaldGlenn McDonald is a retired American professional basketball player. He played three seasons for the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks before going overseas most notably with the U/Tex Wranglers in the early-80's...
(2000–2002) - Karleen Thompson (2002–2004)
- Ryan WeisenbergRyan WeisenbergRyan Weisenberg, is an American basketball coach.Weisenberg attended St. Francis High School, a catholic high school in La Cañada Flintridge, California, where he lettered in basketball, football, and baseball. Weisenberg attended Azusa Pacific University, receiving a master in education, and...
(2003–2004) - Bob Webb (2005)
- Shelley Patterson (2005)
- Michael Abraham (2006–2007)
- Margaret Mohr (2006–2007)
- Laura Beeman (2008–2009)
- Larry SmithLarry Smith (basketball)Larry Smith is a former American professional basketball player. A 6'8" forward/center from Alcorn State University, Smith spent 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association , playing for the Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, and San Antonio Spurs...
(2008) - Steve Smith (2010)
- Sandy BrondelloSandy BrondelloSandra Anne Brondello is an Australian women's basketball player who played in Australia and the WNBA before retiring to become a coach, most recently with the San Antonio Silver Stars of the WNBA. The 1.70 m Brondello is one of Australia's all-time best shooting guards...
(2011–present) - Joe BryantJoe BryantJoseph Washington "Jellybean" Bryant is a retired American professional basketball player, current coach, and the father of Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant. Bryant was the head coach of the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks from August 22, 2005 until April 4, 2007...
(2011)
Statistics
{| class="toccolours" width=80% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Los Angeles Sparks statistics
|- valign="top"
|
1990s
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
|-
| 1997
1997 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1997 WNBA season was the 1st season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Division with a record of 14 wins and 14 losses.-Initial Player Allocation:-WNBA Draft:-Regular season:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(15.9)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.5)
| P. Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
(5.1)
| 74.0 vs 71.8
| 34.8 vs 32.9
| .446 vs .397
|-
| 1998
1998 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1998 WNBA season was the 2nd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks missed out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season. It would be the last season they missed the playoffs until the 2007 season.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(19.6)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(10.2)
| P. Toler
Penny Toler
Penny Toler was a Women's National Basketball Association basketball player. She is currently the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks.-College years:...
(4.8)
| 71.6 vs 72.3
| 34.0 vs 33.3
| .416 vs .411
|-
| 1999
1999 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1999 WNBA season was the 3rd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they fell in the Conference Finals to eventual champion Houston Comets.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(15.6)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(7.8)
| M. Mabika
Mwadi Mabika
Mwadi Mabika is a Congolese basketball player and an All-Star in the Women's National Basketball Association ....
(3.5)
| 76.5 vs 72.4
| 33.3 vs 32.2
| .435 vs .410
|}
|
2000s
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
|-
| 2000
2000 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2000 WNBA season was the 4th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team set a 28-4 record, the best in league history, but they were unable to go for the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals in a sweep to the Houston Comets.-Offseason:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(17.8)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
Ukari Figgs
Ukari Okien Figgs is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.- High School and College years :...
(4.0)
| 75.5 vs 67.8
| 34.1 vs 30.6
| .440 vs .395
|-
| 2001
2001 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2001 WNBA season was the 5th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks won their first WNBA Finals.-WNBA Draft:-Season Schedule:-Playoffs:-Player stats:-Awards and honors:*Lisa Leslie, WNBA Finals MVP Award...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(19.5)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.6)
| U. Figgs
Ukari Figgs
Ukari Okien Figgs is a former collegiate and professional basketball player.- High School and College years :...
(3.9)
| 76.3 vs 67.7
| 34.5 vs 28.8
| .451 vs .392
|-
| 2002
2002 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2002 WNBA season was the 6th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks ended the season winning the WNBA Finals for the second straight year.-Season Schedule:-Player stats:-References:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(16.9)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(10.4)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(4.4)
| 76.6 vs 69.8
| 35.7 vs 30.0
| .445 vs .390
|-
| 2003
2003 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2003 WNBA season was the 7th season for the Los Angeles Sparks franchise. The Sparks reached the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive season, but fell to the Detroit Shock in three games.-Dispersal Draft:-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(18.4)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(10.0)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(6.3)
| 73.5 vs 71.5
| 33.8 vs 32.5
| .418 vs .403
|-
| 2004
2004 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2004 WNBA season was the 8th for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks' head coach, Michael Cooper, left the team during the season. Despite with that, the team finished in first place in the West, but they were unable to make another playoff run, losing in the opening round to the Sacramento...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(17.6)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.9)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(6.1)
| 73.4 vs 69.4
| 33.0 vs 31.4
| .437 vs .389
|-
| 2005
2005 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2005 WNBA season was the 9th for the Los Angeles Sparks. Despite making the playoffs, they played mediocre basketball all season long, and they were not considered a playoff factor, as they were swept in the Conference Semifinals to eventual champion Sacramento Monarchs.-WNBA Draft:-Season...
| C. Holdsclaw
Chamique Holdsclaw
Chamique Shaunta Holdsclaw is a professional basketball player in the Women's National Basketball Association most recently under a contract with the San Antonio Silver Stars...
(17.0)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(7.3)
| N. Teasley
Nikki Teasley
Nikki Teasley is a basketball player in the WNBA.She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill....
(3.7)
| 68.4 vs 69.0
| 29.5 vs 30.6
| .428 vs .418
|-
| 2006
2006 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2006 WNBA season was the 10th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team went for the best record in the West, but were still unable to return to the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals to the Sacramento Monarchs, 2 games to 0.-WNBA Draft:...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(20.0)
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(9.5)
| T. Johnson
Temeka Johnson
Temeka Rochelle Johnson is an American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA. Her primary position is point guard.-College years:...
(5.0)
| 75.7 vs 72.8
| 35.4 vs 31.8
| .438 vs .400
|-
| 2007
2007 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2007 WNBA season was the eleventh for the Los Angeles Sparks.-WNBA Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-External links:*...
| T. McWilliams (11.1)
| T. McWilliams (5.9)
| S. Baker
Sherill Baker
Sherill Shavette Baker is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, most recently for the Detroit Shock....
(3.2)
| 74.5 vs 79.6
| 33.5 vs 34.7
| .408 vs .431
|-
| 2008
2008 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 12th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2006.-Offseason:The following player was selected in the Expansion Draft:...
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(18.5)
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(9.5)
| S. Bobbitt
Shannon Bobbitt
Shannon Denise Bobbitt is an American professional basketball player for the WNBA's Indiana Fever. One of eight children and a native of the Bronx, New York Bobbitt honed her basketball skills on the neighborhood project courts of Harlem...
(3.5)
| 76.4 vs 74.2
| 37.7 vs 33.1
| .424 vs .384
|-
| 2009
2009 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season is the 13th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Lisa Leslie announced that the 2009 season would be her last. On June 5, the Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership...
| L. Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
(15.4)
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(9.8)
| N. Quinn
Noelle Quinn
Noelle Quinn is an American professional basketball player in the WNBA, currently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.-High school:...
(3.5)
| 74.5 vs 73.5
| 36.7 vs 30.9
| .430 vs .399
|}
|
2010s
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|-
! width="4%" rowspan="2"| Season
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Individual
! width="16%" colspan="3"| Team vs Opponents
|-
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|APG
! width="8%"|PPG
Points per game
Points per game, often abbreviated PPG, is the average number of points scored by a player per game played in a sport, over the course of a series of games, a whole season, or a career. It is calculated by dividing the total number of points by number of games. The terminology is often used in...
! width="8%"|RPG
! width="8%"|FG%
Field goal percentage
Field goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
|-
| 2010
2010 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2010 WNBA season is the 14th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-Dispersal draft:Based on the Sparks' 2009 record, they would pick 8th in the Sacramento Monarchs dispersal draft...
| T. Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
(16.6)
| T. Thompson
Tina Thompson
Tina Marie Thompson is a professional basketball player in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks. The first draft pick in WNBA history, Thompson was selected first by the Houston Comets. She helped lead the Comets to four WNBA Championships...
(6.2)
| T. Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro is a Portuguese professional basketball player who plays for Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA...
(6.9)
| 77.9 vs 81.2
| 30.8 vs 35.3
| .441 vs .441
|-
| 2011
2011 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2011 WNBA season is the 15th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association.-WNBA Draft:The following are the Sparks' selections in the 2011 WNBA Draft.-Transaction log:...
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(18.5)
| C. Parker
Candace Parker
Candace Nicole Parker is an All-American basketball player for the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks and is also the younger sister of NBA player Anthony Parker. She was drafted to the team from Tennessee in 2008...
(8.6)
| T. Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro
Ticha Penicheiro is a Portuguese professional basketball player who plays for Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA...
(4.8)
| 77.1 vs 80.3
| 31.7 vs 34.8
| .445 vs .447
|}
|}
Media coverage
Currently, some Sparks games are broadcast on Prime Ticket (PRIME), which is a local television station for the area of Los AngelesLos Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. More often than not, NBA TV
NBA TV
NBA TV is a television specialty channel that is dedicated to showcasing the sport of basketball in the United States. The network is financially backed by the National Basketball Association , which also uses NBA TV as a way of advertising their out of market package NBA League Pass, and partner...
will pick up the feed from the local broadcast, which is shown nationally. Broadcasters for the Sparks games are Larry Burnett and Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
. Previous analysts have included Derek Fisher
Derek Fisher
Derek Lamar Fisher is an American professional basketball point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association . His NBA career has spanned more than 14 years, during which he has won five NBA Championships...
and Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers
Ann Meyers Drysdale is a retired American basketball player and sportscaster. She was a standout player in high school, college, the Olympic Games, international tournaments, and the professional levels.Meyers was the first player to be part of the U.S. national team while still in high school...
.
All games (excluding blackout games, which are available on ESPN3.com) are broadcast to the WNBA LiveAccess game feeds on the league website. Furthermore, some Sparks games are broadcast nationally on ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, ESPN2 and ABC
ESPN on ABC
ESPN on ABC is the brand used for sports programming on the ABC television network. Officially the broadcast network retains its own sports division; however, for all practical purposes, ABC's sports division has been merged with ESPN, a sports cable network majority-owned by ABC's parent, The...
. The WNBA has reached an eight year agreement with ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, which will pay right fees to the Sparks, as well as other teams in the league.
Currently, the team's games are not on radio; however, the team did bounce around several stations from 1999
1999 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 1999 WNBA season was the 3rd for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks qualified for the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but they fell in the Conference Finals to eventual champion Houston Comets.-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Playoffs:...
to 2008
2008 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 12th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2006.-Offseason:The following player was selected in the Expansion Draft:...
. The first two years had no broadcasts. Then in 1999, the team signed with KWKU, a sister station to Spanish-language KWKW
KWKW
KWKW is an American radio station licensed to serve Los Angeles, California. The station is owned by Lotus Communications Corporation.KWKW is one of the oldest Spanish-language radio stations in the Greater Los Angeles area...
, licensed to Pomona, California
Pomona, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Pomona had a population of 149,058, a slight decline from the 2000 census population. The population density was 6,491.2 people per square mile...
. According to an article in the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
published in this period, KWKU had no switchboard and no website. In addition, its 500-watt signal reached only a handful of people in the greater L.A. area and was certainly nowhere near the team's home arenas. In 2003
2003 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2003 WNBA season was the 7th season for the Los Angeles Sparks franchise. The Sparks reached the WNBA Finals for the third consecutive season, but fell to the Detroit Shock in three games.-Dispersal Draft:-WNBA Draft:-Season schedule:-Player stats:...
, the team left KWKU for KLAC, which had summer time slots available after the Anaheim Angels
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim are a professional baseball team based in Anaheim, California, United States. The Angels are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The "Angels" name originates from the city in which the team started, Los Angeles...
' radio broadcasts had just left. That lasted until 2006
2006 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2006 WNBA season was the 10th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The team went for the best record in the West, but were still unable to return to the WNBA Finals, losing in the conference finals to the Sacramento Monarchs, 2 games to 0.-WNBA Draft:...
, when KLAC switched the broadcasts to XETRA
XEWW-AM
XEWW-AM are the call letters of a border-blaster radio station licensed to the Tijuana / Rosarito area of Baja California, Mexico, with additional studio facilities in Burbank, California, United States. They are a high-power station, with their 77,500 watt signal sometimes reaching as far as the...
, which carried the same format KLAC had before. In 2007
2007 Los Angeles Sparks season
The 2007 WNBA season was the eleventh for the Los Angeles Sparks.-WNBA Draft:-Preseason:-Season schedule:-External links:*...
, the game broadcasts moved again, this time to KTLK, when XETRA switched its language of broadcasts from English to Spanish. The Sparks and Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
(licensee of the last three stations mentioned) chose not to renew their contract after 2008. Sparks radio broadcasts never covered a complete season; most nationally-televised games and many games from the Eastern time zone were not covered. Burnett was the announcer.
Regular season attendance
- A sellout for a basketball game at The ForumThe Forum (Inglewood, California)The Forum is an indoor arena, in Inglewood, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. From 2000 to 2010, it was owned by the Faithful Central Bible Church, which occasionally used it for church services, while also leasing the building for sporting events, concerts and other events.Along with Madison...
(1997–2000) is 17,505. - A sellout for a basketball game at Staples CenterStaples CenterStaples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
(2001–present) is 19,079.
{| class="toccolours" width=70% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#5c2f83; color:#FFC322" | Regular season all-time attendance
|- valign="top"
|
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" class="wikitable"
|- align="center" style="background:#eee;color:#000000;"
|width=75 |Year
|width=150|Average
|width=100|High
|width=100|Low
|width=75 |Sellouts
|width=150|Total for year
|width=150|WNBA game average
|- align="center"
| 1997 || 8,937 (4th) || 14,457 || 5,987 || 0 || 125,114 || 9,669
|- align="center"
| 1998 || 7,653 (9th) || 11,191 || 4,851 || 0 || 114,801 || 10,869
|- align="center"
| 1999 || 7,625 (10th) || 13,116 || 5,436 || 0 || 122,000 || 10,207
|- align="center"
| 2000 || 6,563 (14th) || 11,378 || 4,416 || 0 || 105,005 || 9,074
|- align="center"
| 2001 || 9,278 (4th) || 11,819 || 6,591 || 0 || 148,446 || 9,075
|- align="center"
| 2002 || 11,651 (3rd) || 18,542 || 7,487 || 0 || 186,410 || 9,228
|- align="center"
| 2003 || 9,290 (4th) || 11,320 || 6,710 || 0 || 157,934 || 8,800
|- align="center"
| 2004 || 10,369 (2nd) || 18,997 || 8,368 || 0 || 176,269 || 8,613
|- align="center"
| 2005 || 8,839 (5th) || 17,769 || 7,246 || 0 || 143,211 || 8,172
|- align="center"
| 2006 || 8,312 (5th) || 12,289 || 6,670 || 0 || 141,312 || 7,476
|- align="center"
| 2007 || 8,695 (3rd) || 13,092 || 6,748 || 0 || 147,810 || 7,742
|- align="center"
| 2008 || 9,429 (2nd) || 13,142 || 7,245 || 0 || 161,369 || 7,948
|- align="center"
| 2009 || 10,387 (2nd) || 13,865 || 8,263 || 0 || 176,587 || 8,039
|- align="center"
| 2010 || 9,468 (2nd) || 14,413 || 6,026 || 0 || 160,951 || 7,834
|- align="center"
| 2011 || 10,316 (2nd) || 14,266 || 7,522 || 0 || 17,5366 || 7,954
|}
Draft picks
- 1997 Elite Draft: Daedra Charles (8), Haixia Zheng (16)
- 1997: Jamila Wideman (3), Tamecka Dixon (14), Katrina Colleton (19), Travesa Gant (30)
- 1998: Allison Feaster (5), Octavia Blue (15), Rehema Stephens (25), Erica Kienast (35)
- 1999: Delisha Milton (4), Clarisse Machanguana (16), Ukari Figgs (28), La'Keshia Frett (40)
- 2000: Nicole Kubik (15), Paige Sauer (31), Marte Alexander (47), Nicky McCrimmon (63)
- 2001: Camille Cooper (16), Nicole Levandusky (32), Kelley Siemon (48), Beth Record (64)
- 2002: Rosalind Ross (16), Gergana Slavtcheva (30), Jackie Higgins (32), Rashana Barnes (48), Tiffany Thompson (64)
- 2003 MiamiMiami SolThe Miami Sol was a women's basketball team which joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000. They played their games at American Airlines Arena. The team folded after the 2002 season because of financial problems...
/PortlandPortland FireThe Portland Fire joined the Women's National Basketball Association in 2000 as the counterpart to the NBA team the Portland Trail Blazers. They played their games at Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon. The team folded after the 2002 season, after just three seasons in the league...
Dispersal Draft: Jackie Stiles (14) - 2003: Schuye LaRue (27), Mary Jo Noon (42)
- 2004 ClevelandCleveland RockersThis article is about the defunct WNBA team; for the American Basketball Association team, see Cleveland Rockers .The Cleveland Rockers were a Women's National Basketball Association team that played from 1997 until 2003. The Rockers were one of the original eight franchises of the WNBA, which...
Dispersal Draft: Isabelle Fijalkowski (12) - 2004: Christi Thomas (12), Doneeka Hodges (25)
- 2005: DeeDee Wheeler (26), Heather Schreiber (39)
- 2006: Lisa Willis (5), Willnett Crockett (22), Tiffany Porter-Talbert (36)
- 2008 CharlotteCharlotte StingThe Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
Dispersal Draft: Ayana Walker (12) - 2007: Sidney Spencer (25), Amanda Brown (38)
- 2008: Candace Parker (1), Shannon Bobbitt (15), Sharnee’ Zoll (29)
- 2009 HoustonHouston CometsThe Houston Comets were a Women's National Basketball Association team based in Houston, Texas, United States. Formed in 1997, the team was one of the best original eight WNBA teams and won the first four championships of the league's existence. The Comets were the first dynasty of the WNBA and...
Dispersal Draft: selection waived - 2009: Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton (13), Ashley Paris (22), Britney Jordan (35)
- 2010 SacramentoSacramento MonarchsThe Sacramento Monarchs were a basketball team based in Sacramento, California. They played in the Women's National Basketball Association from 1997 until folding on November 20, 2009...
Dispersal Draft: selection waived - 2010: Bianca Thomas (12), Angel Robinson (20), Rashidat Junaid (32)
- 2011: Jantel Lavender (5), Elina Babkina (29)
Trades
- March 25, 2005: The Sparks traded Delisha Milton-Jones to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Chamique Holdsclaw.
- April 22, 2008: The Sparks traded Taj McWilliams-Franklin to the Washington Mystics in exchange for Delisha Milton-Jones.
- March 26, 2009: The Sparks traded Temeka Johnson to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2010 Draft.
- May 5, 2009: The Sparks traded Sidney Spencer to the New York Liberty in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2010 Draft. The Sparks then traded the pick and Rafaella Masciadri to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Noelle Quinn.
- May 13, 2010: The Sparks acquired Kristi Toliver from the Chicago Sky in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2012 Draft.
- February 1, 2011: The Sparks traded Andrea Riley to the Tulsa Shock in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2012 Draft.
- June 1, 2011: The Sparks traded Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton to the Chicago Sky in exchange for a second-round pick in the 2012 Draft.
All-Stars
- 1997: No All-Star Game
- 1998: No All-Star Game
- 1999: Lisa Leslie
- 2000: Lisa Leslie, Mwadi Mabika, Delisha Milton
- 2001: Tamecka Dixon, Lisa Leslie
- 2002: Tamecka Dixon, Lisa Leslie, Mwadi Mabika
- 2003: Tamecka Dixon, Lisa Leslie, Nikki Teasley
- 2004: Mwadi Mabika, Nikki Teasley
- 2005: Chamique Holdsclaw, Lisa Leslie
- 2006: Lisa Leslie
- 2007: Taj McWilliams-Franklin
- 2008: No All-Star Game
- 2009: Lisa Leslie, Tina Thompson
- 2010: Candace Parker
- 2011: Candace Parker
Honors and awards
- 1997 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 1997 Sportsmanship Award: Haixia Zheng
- 1998 All-WNBA Second Team: Lisa Leslie
- 1999 All-WNBA Second Team: Lisa Leslie
- 1999 All-Star Game MVP: Lisa Leslie
- 2000 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2000 Coach of the Year: Michael Cooper
- 2001 Most Valuable Player: Lisa Leslie
- 2001 Finals MVP: Lisa Leslie
- 2001 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2001 All-WNBA Second Team: Tamecka Dixon
- 2001 All-Star Game MVP: Lisa Leslie
- 2001 Peak Performer (FG%): Latasha Byears
- 2002 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2002 All-WNBA First Team: Mwadi Mabika
- 2002 Finals MVP: Lisa Leslie
- 2002 All-Star Game MVP: Lisa Leslie
- 2003 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2003 All-WNBA Second Team: Nikki Teasley
- 2003 All-Star Game MVP: Nikki Teasley
- 2004 Most Valuable Player: Lisa Leslie
- 2004 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2004 All-WNBA Second Team: Nikki Teasley
- 2004 Defensive Player of the Year: Lisa Leslie
- 2004 Peak Performer (Rebounds): Lisa Leslie
- 2005 All-WNBA Second Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2005 All-Defensive Second Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2006 Most Valuable Player: Lisa Leslie
- 2006 All-Decade Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2006 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2006 All-Defensive First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2007 All-Rookie Team: Marta Fernandez
- 2007 All-Rookie Team: Sidney Spencer
- 2008 Most Valuable Player: Candace Parker
- 2008 Rookie of the Year: Candace Parker
- 2008 All-WNBA First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2008 All-WNBA First Team: Candace Parker
- 2008 Defensive Player of the Year: Lisa Leslie
- 2008 All-Defensive First Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2008 All-Rookie Team: Candace Parker
- 2008 Peak Performer (Rebounds): Candace Parker
- 2009 All-WNBA Second Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2009 All-WNBA Second Team: Candace Parker
- 2009 All-Defensive Second Team: Lisa Leslie
- 2009 All-Defensive Second Team: Candace Parker
- 2009 Peak Performer (Rebounds): Candace Parker
- 2010 Peak Performer (Assists): Ticha Penicheiro
External links
- December 6, 2006 press release on the change of ownership
- Los Angeles Team Building - Spark's Mentoring
