LOS ANGELES — With more than 25% of the record-long 44-game regular season in the books, the Sparks, who have a 4-8 overall record, are still encouraged before hosting the Seattle Storm Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena.
“I definitely feel like we should have more wins,” said Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, who is averaging 17.5 points, 8 rebounds and 3.8 assists. “You look at a lot of the games and you say OK, could we actually be 8-4 (or) 7-5 so I feel like we’ve given a lot of games away but it’s all a learning process, bigger picture here and still taking each game and using it to keep building.”
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said she will go with a different starting lineup against the Storm than the one that was defeated 101-78 by the Minnesota Lynx on June 14, but did not reveal who among Kelsey Plum, Sarah Ashlee Barker, Rickea Jackson, Dearica Hamby and Azurá Stevens will come off the bench.
Plum scored a team-high 20 points and Jackson added 18 points but the Sparks trailed 34-15 at the end of the first and 58-26 at halftime.
“We haven’t been at full strength yet, and I feel like it’s been a lot of look great then adversity, look great then adversity and we’re learning a lot,” Roberts said. “The first half in Minnesota was the worst half of basketball we’ve played all year, so before that I thought we had put three games together where were pretty consistent.”
The Sparks will welcome back former franchise player Nneka Ogwumike (2016 WNBA MVP), who left the organization as a free agent ahead of the 2024 season. Ogwumike, who is now in her 14th year in the league, is averaging 15.6 points and 8.5 rebounds.
“She’s just been so consistent in her career,” Hamby continued. “She’s still doing the things she was able to do 10 years ago, so just always been one of the best forwards in our league. Just a great person on and off the court. She leads our league from a presidential standpoint, so just really proud of her. I’ve been honored to be her teammate.”
The game will also mark a return to Los Angeles for former Sparks guards Lexie Brown, Zia Cooke and Erica Wheeler.
Storm guard Skylar Diggins is averaging a team-high 18.1 points and 6.1 assists.
Jackson has averaged 24 points over the past two games, including a career-high 30 points in the Sparks’ 97-89 win at Las Vegas on June 11.
“(I’m) still getting acclimated with the offense but at the same time me being more aggressive,” Jackson said. “I know that when I’m aggressive, I feel like the team responds better as well, so just making sure I’m aggressive from the jump because I feel like that helps a ton and just having that mentality from the jump.”
However, the Sparks injury report continues to be occupied by several key players. Starting guard Odyssey Sims is expected to miss her second straight game due to personal reasons. Guard Julie Allemand is not with the team due to her overseas commitment to play for Belgium at EuroBasket. Rae Burrell, a versatile guard/forward is out with a right knee injury that she suffered after playing less than a minute in the team’s season opener on May 16. Cameron Brink, the team’s No. 2 pick in the 2024 draft, has not played all season as she continues to rehab a torn ACL injury that she suffered last June.
“We haven’t had a full roster since the start of the season,” Hamby explained. “So that part is a little frustrating at times because what could we look like with a full roster or even having one of the two back out of Cam (Brink) and Rae (Burrell) but I think everybody can kind of tell it feels light in here. It’s not like a ton of pressure but continuing to use each day to build.”
The Sparks signed veteran guard Shey Peddy to a hardship contract on June 14. Peddy, 36, is expected to provide depth at the point guard position with Allemand and Sims sidelined.
“I still feel like we have not come close to hitting our stride just because we haven’t been a full roster or even close, so that’s just part of it,” Roberts continued.
Tuesday’s game will the Sparks’ sixth and final Commissioner’s Cup game. The Sparks are 2-3 in the annual in-season tournament play and have been eliminated from representing the Western Conference in the title game on July 1.
“I feel like we’re still growing, we’re still getting better but I feel like we’re trending in the right direction,” Jackson added.
SEATTLE (6-5) AT SPARKS (4-8)
When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Where: Crypto.com Arena
TV: NBA TV/Spectrum SportsNet
LA Sparks All-Star forward Dearica Hamby shares her honest assessment of the team’s first 12 games.
The Sparks are 4-8 overall but believes the team should definitely have more wins.
Hamby also talked about welcoming Nneka Ogwumike and other former Sparks back to Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/bX6UWIgWXv
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 16, 2025
Rickea Jackson on her career-high 30 points and her assessment of the LA Sparks after the team’s first 12 games.
Jackson also takes about being aggressive since returning back the starting lineup and what it will be like to play against her former Sparks teammate Zia Cooke. pic.twitter.com/bIj5fcGefU
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 16, 2025
Sparks coach Lynne Roberts on Monday’s practice ahead of Tuesday’s home game against the Seattle Storm.
Coach Roberts talked about the team’s first 12 games, her starting lineup and she shared that Odyssey Sims, who is currently out for personal reasons, will not play Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/MmOV4cdmZy
— John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) June 16, 2025