Los Angeles Sparks facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Los Angeles Sparks
Conference	Western
Leagues	WNBA
Founded	1997
History	Los Angeles Sparks 1997–present
Arena	Crypto.com Arena
Location	Los Angeles, California
Team colors	Purple, gold, black, teal, white
Main sponsor	EquiTrust Life Insurance
General manager	Karen Bryant
Head coach	Lynne Roberts
Assistant(s)	Chris Koclanes Steve Smith Danielle Viglione
Ownership	Sparks LA Sports (Mark Walter, Magic Johnson, Stan Kasten, Todd Boehly, Bobby Patton, Eric Holoman)
Championships	3 (2001, 2002, 2016)
Conference titles	5 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2016, 2017)
Heroine Explorer Rebel

The Los Angeles Sparks are a professional basketball team from Los Angeles, California. They play in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), which is a top women's basketball league in the United States. The Sparks were one of the first teams in the WNBA, starting in 1997. Unlike some other WNBA teams, they are not directly linked to an NBA men's team, even though Los Angeles also has the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers.

The Sparks have been very successful, reaching the WNBA Playoffs in 20 out of their 24 years. This is more than any other team in the league! They have also been home to many famous players like Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Tina Thompson. The team has played in the WNBA Finals five times (2001, 2002, 2003, 2016, and 2017). They won the championship three times: in 2001, 2002, and 2016.

Discovering the Sparks' History

How the Sparks Began: 1997–2000

The very first WNBA game ever was played by the Sparks against the New York Liberty in 1997. The Sparks played at their home arena, The Forum, in Inglewood. They lost that first game, but Sparks player Penny Toler scored the league's first two points! In their first season, the Sparks finished with a 14–14 record, just missing the playoffs. The next year, 1998, they also missed the playoffs.

In 1999, the team started to get much better. Star player Lisa Leslie really improved, and the Sparks made the playoffs for the first time. They won their first playoff game against the Sacramento Monarchs. They made it to the Western Conference Finals but lost to the Houston Comets.

Lisa Leslie, a legendary Sparks player.

The year 2000 was amazing for the Sparks. They had a fantastic record of 28 wins and only 4 losses, which was one of the best in league history. In the playoffs, they beat the Phoenix Mercury easily. However, they lost again in the Western Conference Finals to the Houston Comets. The Comets were very strong back then, winning the first four WNBA championships.

Winning Back-to-Back Championships: 2001–2002

Before the 2001 season, the Sparks moved to a new home, the Staples Center. They also got a new coach, Michael Cooper, who used to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team had another great season, winning 28 games and losing only 4. In the 2001 playoffs, the Sparks finally beat their rivals, the Houston Comets!

They then beat the Sacramento Monarchs to reach their first-ever WNBA Finals. In the Finals, they swept the Charlotte Sting, winning 2–0, and claimed their first WNBA championship!

In 2002, Lisa Leslie made history by becoming the first woman in the WNBA to dunk the ball during a game! The Sparks continued to dominate, finishing the regular season with a 25–7 record. They easily won their playoff games against the Seattle Storm and the Utah Starzz. In the Finals, they played against the New York Liberty. A last-minute three-pointer by Nikki Teasley in Game 2 helped the Sparks win their second championship in a row!

Aiming for a Third Title: 2003

In 2003, the Sparks had a 24–10 record and were hoping to win a third championship in a row, also known as a "three-peat." They had tough playoff series against the Minnesota Lynx and Sacramento Monarchs, winning both in deciding third games. The Sparks then faced the Detroit Shock in the Finals. The Shock had improved a lot from being the worst team the year before. The Finals were very competitive, and the Sparks, tired from their tough playoff journey, lost the series 2–1. They did not achieve their three-peat.

More Playoff Runs: 2004–2006

After the 2003 season, the Sparks signed two new players, Tamika Whitmore and Teresa Weatherspoon. They started the 2004 season well, but coach Cooper left halfway through to try coaching in the NBA. This change affected the team, and they finished with a 25–9 record. In the playoffs, they lost to the Sacramento Monarchs.

The Sparks struggled in 2005, finishing with a 17–17 record. They barely made the playoffs and were swept by the Sacramento Monarchs in the first round. In 2006, the team played much better, with a 25–9 record. They beat the Seattle Storm in the playoffs but were stopped by the Monarchs again in the Western Conference Finals. This was the third year in a row the Monarchs ended their season.

A Challenging Season: 2007

Crypto.com Arena, the Sparks' home court.

After the 2006 season, the team's owner, Jerry Buss, decided to sell the Sparks. A new group of investors bought the team. Around the same time, star player Lisa Leslie announced she was pregnant and would miss the 2007 season. Without Leslie, the Sparks had a very tough year, finishing with a 10–24 record. This was their worst record ever, and they missed the playoffs for the first time since 1998.

New Stars and New Owners: 2008–2015

Things looked up for the Sparks in 2008. Lisa Leslie returned to the team. Also, the Sparks used their first pick in the draft to choose Candace Parker, a college basketball superstar. Parker had just led her team, the University of Tennessee Lady Vols, to two straight national championships.

In 2008, the Sparks finished with a 20–14 record. Candace Parker had an amazing first year, winning both Rookie of the Year and WNBA MVP awards. She was the first player in WNBA history to do this! In the playoffs, the Sparks beat the Seattle Storm. They then played the San Antonio Silver Stars in the Western Conference Finals. It was a close series, but the Sparks lost in the third game.

After the 2008 season, Candace Parker announced she was pregnant. To help the team, the Sparks signed experienced players like Tina Thompson and Betty Lennox. These players brought championship experience to the team.

The 2009 season started slowly because Parker was on maternity leave and Leslie had a knee injury. But when both players returned in July, the team played much better. They made the playoffs for the tenth time in 13 years. They beat the Seattle Storm in the first round but lost to the Phoenix Mercury in the Western Conference Finals. This marked the end of Lisa Leslie's playing career and coach Michael Cooper's second time coaching the Sparks.

In 2010, the Sparks hoped to win a championship with new player Ticha Penicheiro and Candace Parker as their main star. However, Parker had shoulder surgery early in the season. Without her, the team struggled and lost in the first round of the playoffs. The 2011 season was similar, with Parker getting injured again. The Sparks missed the playoffs that year.

In 2012, the Sparks improved a lot, finishing second in their conference. They also drafted Nneka Ogwumike, who would become a future MVP. However, they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Lynx.

In 2014, the team got new owners, including former NBA star Magic Johnson. The 2014 and 2015 seasons were disappointing, as the Sparks continued to lose in the first round of the playoffs.

Champions Again: 2016

After losing in the first round in 2015, the Sparks made some small changes to their team. In 2016, they showed they were ready to win a championship. They finished with a great 26–8 record and made it to the playoffs. The Sparks had a "Big Three" of star players: Candace Parker, Nneka Ogwumike, and Kristi Toliver. They were the second-best team in the league and got a direct pass to the semifinals.

The Sparks played against the Chicago Sky in the semifinals and won, moving on to the Finals for the first time since 2003. They faced the top-seeded Minnesota Lynx in the Finals. The Sparks won Game 1 on the road with a game-winning shot by Alana Beard. They lost Game 2 but won Game 3 at home, putting them one win away from the title. They lost Game 4, making the series tied 2–2.

Game 5 was a historic game. With only 3.1 seconds left, Nneka Ogwumike, who was the WNBA MVP that year, got an offensive rebound and made the game-winning shot! The Sparks won 77–76, claiming their first championship since 2002 and their third in team history. Candace Parker was named the Finals MVP.

Chasing More Championships: 2017–Present

In 2017, the Sparks had some changes but kept their main players. Chelsea Gray became the starting point guard. They finished as the second-best team again with a 26–8 record. The Sparks swept the Phoenix Mercury in the semifinals, setting up a rematch with the Minnesota Lynx in the Finals.

The Sparks won Game 1 with another game-winning shot by Chelsea Gray. In Game 3, Candace Parker set a Finals record with 5 steals. The Sparks were up 2–1 in the series. However, they lost Game 4 at home and then lost Game 5, failing to win back-to-back championships.

In 2018, the Sparks kept their core players but didn't play as well, finishing as the sixth seed. They beat the Minnesota Lynx in the first round of the playoffs. But in the next elimination game, they lost to the Washington Mystics, ending their two-year streak of reaching the Finals.

After the 2018 season, Brian Agler resigned as coach, and Derek Fisher was hired as his replacement. In 2019, Penny Toler was no longer the general manager. In 2022, the Sparks and Derek Fisher decided to part ways as Head Coach and General Manager.

Where the Sparks Play Now

The Los Angeles Sparks currently play their home games at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. For Sparks games, the arena can hold 13,141 fans because the upper level is closed off. The Sparks have played in the Crypto.com Arena since 2001. Before that, they played at The Forum.

Team Uniforms

The Sparks have changed their uniforms over the years:

• 2021–Present: Nike and the WNBA introduced new uniform designs. The Sparks now have a white uniform (called "Heroine"), a purple uniform ("Explorer"), and a black uniform ("Rebel"). The "Rebel" uniform shows off the city's culture.
• 2018–2020: Nike became the uniform provider. The sponsor, EquiTrust, stayed on the jerseys. The gold and purple jerseys were called "Icon" and "Statement" series.
• 2015–2017: EquiTrust Life Insurance became the new jersey sponsor. The jerseys stayed mostly the same, just with the sponsor's name added.
• 2013–2014: The Farmers Insurance sponsorship ended, and the team name returned to the jerseys. The numbers on the jerseys also got a new look.
• 2011–2012: Adidas introduced new jerseys. Home uniforms were gold with white numbers and purple trim. Away uniforms were purple with white numbers and gold trim. Farmers Insurance remained on the jerseys.
• 2009–2010: Farmers Insurance Group became a jersey sponsor. In 2009, the Sparks wore their yellow jersey for all games. In 2010, they added a purple jersey for away games.
• 2007–2008: For home games, the jerseys were gold with purple lines and "Sparks" written across. For away games, they were purple with gold lines and "Los Angeles" written across. They looked similar to the Los Angeles Lakers' uniforms.
• 1997–2006: Home jerseys were gold with a large purple stripe and "Sparks" written across. Away jerseys were purple with a large gold stripe and "Los Angeles" written across.

Sparks' Season Records

Sparks' Players and Staff

Current Team Roster

Retired Jersey Numbers

The Sparks have honored two legendary players by retiring their jersey numbers:

Sparks in the FIBA Hall of Fame

Some former Sparks players have been recognized in the FIBA Hall of Fame for their amazing careers:

Who Owns the Sparks?

The Sparks have had several owners over the years:

• Jerry Buss, who also owned the Los Angeles Lakers (1997–2006)
• Gemini Basketball LLC (2006–2011)
• Williams Group Holdings (2011–2014)
• Sparks LA Sports, a group including Mark Walter and Magic Johnson (2014–present)

Head Coaches of the Sparks

Here's a list of the head coaches who have led the Los Angeles Sparks:

General Managers of the Sparks

• Rhonda Windham (1997–1999)
• Penny Toler (2000–2019)
• Derek Fisher (2021–2022)
• Karen Bryant (2023–Present)

Assistant Coaches of the Sparks

How to Watch Sparks Games

You can watch some Sparks games on Spectrum SportsNet, a local TV channel in Southern California. This started with a deal in 2012. The announcers for Sparks games are Larry Burnett and Lisa Leslie.

Many Sparks games are also shown nationally on channels like ESPN, ESPN2, Ion Television, CBS, CBS Sports Network, and ABC.

The team's games are not currently broadcast on radio. In the past, they were on different radio stations from 1999 to 2008. These radio broadcasts often didn't cover all the games, especially those shown on national TV or played in the Eastern time zone.

See also

In Spanish: Los Angeles Sparks para niños