The Los Angeles Sparks have spent the last few seasons redefining what it means to struggle. Their 2024 campaign—a dismal 8-32 slog marred by injuries and dashed hopes—was more “trainwreck” than “highlight reel.” But now, a new day dawns in Tinseltown, and the Sparks are hoping that former University of Utah head coach Lynne Roberts can be their basketball savior. Or at least prevent another season of sheer misery.
With her arrival, the Sparks have officially entered the “Lynne-sanity” era. And if her offensive philosophy is any indication, Sparks fans are in for a season full of fireworks—or at least a lot of bricks.
A Redick-ulous Vision
Taking inspiration from former NBA sharpshooter JJ Redick, Roberts is bringing a 3-point-heavy, analytics-driven offensive approach to the Sparks. It’s a bold strategy for a team that couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn from deep last season, shooting a cringeworthy 32% from beyond the arc.
“Our goal is simple: score more points than the opponent,” Roberts quipped during a halftime interview at a Lakers game on Thursday night. Groundbreaking stuff.
She went on to elaborate: “We’re going to shoot a lot of threes, get up and down the court. It’s going to be fun to watch.” Translation: prepare for chaos, and maybe keep some aspirin handy.
The Sparks were one of the worst offenses in the WNBA last year, so there’s nowhere to go but up—or at least sideways. Roberts is betting big on pace, space, and prayer to turn the team into a modern-day offensive juggernaut.
Utah Roots, Hollywood Dreams
Roberts joins the Sparks after a respectable nine-year stint at Utah, where she led the Utes to three straight NCAA Tournament appearances. Her career record of 165-116 suggests she knows how to win—though coaching in the WNBA is a whole different beast.
The Sparks, meanwhile, are on their fourth head coach since 2018, proving they change coaches almost as often as basketballs miss the net. If Roberts can stick around long enough to unpack her bags, she might just be the stability the franchise desperately needs.
Cameron Brink and the Core Four
Roberts was quick to highlight the Sparks’ “dynamic” roster as a reason she took the job. Sure, “dynamic” is a word, but it’s also code for “this team might be good if they stop getting injured.”
Headlining the squad is Cameron Brink, the electrifying rookie who looks poised to make waves in her sophomore season. Pair her with veterans like Kia Nurse, Dearica Hamby, and Rickea Jackson, and you’ve got a group with enough potential to flirt with a playoff spot—if they can stay out of the trainer’s room.
“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t think we had a really strong roster in place,” Roberts said. Bold words, considering the Sparks looked more like a pickup team at times last season.
The Sparks Need to Spark
Let’s be real: the Sparks don’t need to reinvent the wheel. They just need to put air in the tires. A return to even mediocre form would be a victory for a franchise still searching for its post-Candace Parker identity.
Lynne Roberts has the vision, the roster, and the enthusiasm to spark (pun very much intended) a turnaround in 2025. Whether that leads to playoff glory or another season in basketball purgatory is anyone’s guess.
One thing’s for sure: with Roberts at the helm, the Sparks are going to let it fly from deep. And if those threes start dropping? Watch out, WNBA. The Sparks might just burn brighter than ever.
Or, you know, they might not. But at least they’ll be fun to watch.
