LOS ANGELES — After missing the playoffs for a franchise-record fifth consecutive season, the Sparks have rebuilt their roster with a mix of veteran leadership and rookies.
The Sparks went 21-23 and missed out on the 2025 postseason by two games behind the expansion Golden State Valkyries.
This season, the three-time WNBA champion franchise will boast a starting lineup featuring four former All-Stars, including a backcourt with Olympic gold medalists.
The Sparks’ 12-player roster was finalized Thursday ahead of the team’s and league’s 30th season. Here’s how it looks:
WHO’S GONE
Rickea Jackson: The starting forward, once regarded as a foundational player after she was the team’s No. 4 overall selection in the 2024 draft, averaged 14.7 points per game last season. Jackson was traded to Chicago for two-time All-Star guard Ariel Atkins in April.
Azurá Stevens: The 6-foot-6 forward, who averaged 12.8 points and 8 rebounds per game last season, signed a multi-million dollar contract with Chicago in free agency. Stevens was a key starter who finished second in voting for the 2025 WNBA Most Improved Player award.
Julie Allemand: The starting point guard, who averaged 5.4 points and 5.0 assists per game last season, was left unprotected in April’s WNBA expansion draft. She was selected second overall by Toronto.
Sarah Ashlee Barker: The second-year guard, who averaged 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game last season, was also left unprotected the expansion draft. She was selected by Portland. She was the Sparks’ first-round pick in 2025.
Julie Vanloo: The 33-year-old point guard, who averaged 2.2 points and 1.9 assists per game last season, was waived Tuesday. She has signed a hardship contract with the New York Liberty.
Alissa Pili: The Sparks extended a reserved qualifying offer to the forward April 7, but she never participated in training camp. The 2024 first-round selection from Utah played limited minutes after signing in the middle of last season.
WHO’S BACK
Kelsey Plum: The ninth-year combo guard will be the starting point guard in her second season with the Sparks. Plum, a two-time WNBA champion with Las Vegas Aces and a four-time All-Star, averaged 19.5 points and 5.7 assists per game last season. She was in the top five in the WNBA in both categories. The No. 1 pick in the 2017 draft, Plum was acquired from Las Vegas in a three-team trade that sent the Sparks’ No. 2 pick in the 2025 draft to Seattle.
Dearica Hamby: The 12th-year starting forward played in all 44 games last season. In fact, she’s never missed a game during her three years with the Sparks. Hamby is more than an iron woman. She averaged 18.4 points last season and was the team’s second-leading scorer behind Plum. The 2022 WNBA champion with Las Vegas is a three-time All-Star who is part of a dynamic frontcourt duo with Nneka Ogwumike.
Rae Burrell: The fifth-year forward will be a full-time starter for the first time in her career. The 6-foot-2 versatile wing, whom the Sparks drafted with the ninth overall pick in 2022, averaged a career-high 7.5 points and 2.3 rebounds per game last season. The 25-year-old has long been applauded for her energy and effort.
Cameron Brink: The third-year forward, whom the Sparks drafted with the second overall pick in 2024, will serve as primary backup to Dearica Hamby and Nneka Ogwumike. This will be Brink’s first full season back since tearing her ACL in June 2024. The 6-foot-4 defensive anchor averaged 5.1 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.4 blocked shots in 19 games last season.
Sania Feagin: The 6-foot-3 second-year forward averaged 1.3 points last season. She was the Sparks’ second-round pick in 2025.
Emma Cannon: The 6-foot-2 eighth-year forward is a highly respected veteran. The 36-year-old averaged 4.4 points and 1.8 rebounds per game last season. Cannon’s playing time may be limited but her presence is about more than basketball.
WHO’S NEW
Nneka Ogwumike: The franchise legend and 2016 WNBA champion is back. The 6-foot-2 starting forward, who is entering Year 15, signed with the Sparks in free agency. Ogwumike averaged 18.3 points and 7 rebounds per game with Seattle last season. The 2016 WNBA MVP was the franchise’s No. 1 overall pick in 2012. The 10-time All-Star ranks second on the franchise’s all-time scoring list, just 380 points behind Lisa Leslie.
Ariel Atkins: The ninth-year starting guard averaged 13.1 points, 3.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds with Chicago last season. The 5-foot-10 guard was traded in exchange for fan favorite Rickea Jackson. Atkins’ résumé includes a WNBA championship with Washington in 2019, an Olympic gold medal in 2021 at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, and two All-Star selections in 2021 and 2022. She was also the first player in WNBA history to earn an All-Defensive team in each of their first five seasons.
Erica Wheeler: The 11th-year guard averaged 10.3 points and 3.3 assists with Seattle last season. The 5-foot-7 free agent acquisition, who signed a two-year deal in L.A., will be asked to spell Plum’s ball-handling duties and mentor rookies like Ta’Niya Latson and Chance Gray.
Ta’Niya Latson: The Sparks were surprised when the 5-foot-8 rookie guard out of South Carolina was still on the draft board in the second round at the 20th pick. GM Raegan Pebley graded Latson as a first-round talent and quickly called in the selection. Latson averaged seven points per game in two preseason contests and has been lauded for her ability to drive to the basket.
Chance Gray: The 5-foot-9 rookie out of Ohio State was drafted 24th overall. The second-round selection averaged 10 points in two preseason games, highlighted by draining 5 of 11 attempts from beyond the arc. If Gray carries anything close to her 45% 3-point shooting into the regular season, she will provide needed spacing in coach Lynne Roberts’ pace-and-space system.
Jihyun Park: The 6-foot-1 undrafted rookie guard from South Korea, scored two points and grabbed two rebounds in her only preseason game against Portland on May 3. Park is regarded as a versatile wing with international experience.
Laura Ziegler: The 6-foot-2 rookie forward out of Louisville is the franchise’s first developmental player. That designation will give her the opportunity to practice with the team and be moved up to the 12-player roster as an injury replacement.
Las Vegas at Sparks (WNBA season opener)
When: 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV: USA, Spectrum SportsNet