The Los Angeles Sparks are done with Lynne Roberts. After two straight sub-.500 seasons under Roberts, the team announced Friday they’ve fired the 51-year-old head coach. It’s a pretty brutal end to a tenure that was supposed to turn things around for the franchise, which just couldn’t break through in the Western Conference, largely thanks to some brutal stats.
Roberts’ Tenure Ends After Playoff Drought Extends
Roberts originally came to the Sparks in November 2024, leaving Utah four games into their 2024-25 season. Her mission? End a four-year playoff drought. Instead, that drought ballooned to six seasons, which is just painful to see for any fan base. This season, the Sparks finished second to last in the entire WNBA for both turnovers and rebounding. Yikes. Even with Nneka Ogwumike putting in productive work, those numbers just kill any shot at real contention. Sparks special advisor Farhan Zaidi put out the standard grateful statement, saying they “sincerely thank her for everything she has invested,” but when the results aren’t there, tough calls get made.
The Search Is On: Who Steps Up For LA?
Now the focus shifts to who can actually turn this ship around in Los Angeles. There are some intriguing names floating out there. Cori Close, the head coach for UCLA, just led her team to a national championship. Could she make the jump to the pros? It’s probably a long shot, since UCLA holds a special place for her, going back to her coaching start there in the 90s under the legendary John Wooden.
Then there’s Jenny Boucek, currently an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers. She’s spent the last five seasons collaborating with Rick Carlisle. Boucek actually had a brief, “rather unsuccessful” stint as the Seattle Storm’s head coach from 2015-17. Would a return to the West Coast be in the cards for her? Her hiring would totally fit the trend of NBA assistants moving into WNBA head coaching roles, following guys like Chris DeMarco and Nate Tibbetts. Another rising star is Brittni Donaldson, who’s currently an assistant coach and assistant GM for the Portland Fire. She’s getting a ton of buzz for her blend of player development and analytics, having been a Raptors assistant at just 26. Eric Thibault, associate head coach for the Minnesota Lynx, got fired from the Mystics two seasons after taking over for his dad, but he’s become vital on Cheryl Reeve’s staff in Minnesota and might even snag a title in a few weeks. Lastly, Kristi Toliver, a three-time WNBA All-Star and now associate head coach for the Phoenix Mercury, made history coaching in the NBA as an active WNBA player back in 2018 with the Wizards. That’s some serious experience!
This is a massive decision for the Sparks. Getting this hire right is everything for getting back into contention and finally ending that playoff drought. They need someone who can fix those basic fundamentals fast.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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