| 2024Los Angeles Sparks season | |
|---|---|
| Coach | Curt Miller |
| Arena | Walter Pyramid (Capacity: 4,000 (first two games of the season) Crypto.com Arena (Capacity: 19,068) |
| Attendance | 11,045 per game |
| Results | |
| Record | 8–32 (.200) |
| Place | 6th(Western) |
| Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
| Team Leaders | |
| Points | Dearica Hamby – 17.3 ppg |
| Rebounds | Dearica Hamby – 9.2 rpg |
| Assists | Odyssey Sims – 5.1 apg |
| Media | |
| Television | ABC,ESPN,ESPN2,CBS,Paramount+,CBSSN,NBA TV,ION |
The2024 Los Angeles Sparks season was the franchise's 28th season in theWomen's National Basketball Association, and the second season under head coachCurt Miller. The season tipped off on May 15, 2024, inLong Beach versus theAtlanta Dream,[1] and ended on September 19 against theMinnesota Lynx.
The season started slowly for the Sparks as they lost both of their opening two games. They defeatedWashington by two points on May 21 to earn their first win of the season. They lost the following two games including a one point loss toDallas. They defeatedIndiana before losing toChicago to end the month with a 2–5 record. Their June started off with two losses as well. They won two games to follow including a victory at home againstLast Vegas. That would be the highlight of the month as the team went on a seven game losing streak from there to finish the month with a 2–9 record. The only non-double digit loss during that streak was a 70–79 loss toConnecticut on June 18. Their losing streak extended one more game into July before they defeated Last Vegas in overtime. They would lose the next two games before defeating Dallas. They lost toSeattle to finish July 2–4 and head into the Olympic break. The Sparks lost the first six games after returning from the Olympic break before defeatingNew York to finish August 1–6. Well out of the playoff race, the Sparks lost the first eight games of September. The closest loss of the streak was by three-points at Seattle on September 15. The team finished the season with a win overMinnesota. The season was marred by a multitude of injuries, including a season-endingACL tear to the team's No. 2 draft pick,Cameron Brink, who wound up missing the remainder of the season after playing just 15 games.[2] Brink's injury also caused her to miss the2024 Summer Olympics, with her teammateDearica Hamby taking her place on theUnited States women's national 3x3 team. The Sparks finished with just 8 wins and 32 losses, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and failing to improve on their 17-23 record from 2023. Their eight wins were the team's lowest total in franchise history and their 32 losses was the highest in a single season in league's history.
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/team/country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | Cameron Brink |  United States | Stanford |
| 1 | 4 | Rickea Jackson | United States | Tennessee |
| 3 | 28 | McKenzie Forbes | United States | USC |
| Date | Transaction | |
|---|---|---|
| January 5, 2024 | HiredRaegan Pebley as General Manager[3] | |
| January 17, 2024 | Jasmine Thomas retired[4] | |
| January 31, 2024 | Traded the 19th pick in the2024 WNBA draft toSeattle in exchange forKia Nurse[5] | |
| February 1, 2024 | Re-signedLayshia Clarendon[6] | |
| Traded the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft andJordin Canada to theAtlanta Dream in exchange forAari McDonald and the 8th overall pick in the 2024 draft[7] | ||
| Re-signedRae Burrell[6] | ||
| February 2, 2024 | SignedMonique Billings[8] | |
| Signed Virag Kiss to a Training Camp Contract[9] | ||
| SignedTaylor Mikesell to a Training Camp Contract[10] | ||
| February 6, 2024 | SignedLexie Brown to an Extension[11] | |
| February 21, 2024 | Traded the 8th overall pick in the 2024 draft toChicago in exchange forJulie Allemand, the rights toLi Yueru and a third round pick in the 2025 draft.[12] | |
| March 21, 2024 | Hired Christine Monjer as President[13] | |
| April 17, 2024 | SignedBlake Dietrick to a Training Camp Contract[14] | |
| April 18, 2024 | SignedMcKenzie Forbes to a Rookie Contract[15] | |
| April 19, 2024 | SignedRickea Jackson to a Rookie Contract[15] | |
| April 20, 2024 | SignedCameron Brink to a Rookie Contract[15] | |
| April 30, 2024 | Waived Virág Kiss[16] | |
| May 6, 2024 | WaivedTaylor Mikesell[17] | |
| May 12, 2024 | WaivedNia Clouden,Blake Dietrick, andMcKenzie Forbes | |
| May 13, 2024 | Suspended the contract ofJulie Allemand(full season)[18] | |
| WaivedMonique Billings[19] | ||
| June 22, 2024 | SignedQueen Egbo to hardship contract[20] | |
| June 29, 2024 | Waived Queen Egbo | |
| July 4, 2024 | SignedCrystal Dangerfield to a 7-day hardship contract[21] | |
| July 12, 2024 | Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a second 7-day contract[15] | |
| Suspended the contract ofLi Yueru(temporary) | ||
| August 7, 2024 | Activated Li Yueru[15] | |
| August 16, 2024 | Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a third 7-day contract[15] | |
| August 17, 2024 | SignedOdyssey Sims to 7-day contract | |
| August 22, 2024 | SignedAzurá Stevens andStephanie Talbot to extensions through 2025[22][23] | |
| Signed Crystal Dangerfield to a rest of season contract[24] | ||
| August 24, 2024 | Signed Odyssey Sims to a second 7-day contract[25] | |
| August 31, 2024 | Released Odyssey Sims and signed Simms to a 7-day contract | |
| September 7, 2024 | Released Odyssey Sims and signed Simms to a rest-of-season contract | |
| September 20, 2024 | Layshia Clarendon announced their retirement|[26] | |
| September 24, 2024 | Head coach,Curt Miller, was fired | |
Additions[edit]
| Subtractions[edit]
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| 2024Los Angeles Sparks roster | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Players | Coaches | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Pos. | Starter | Bench |
|---|---|---|
| PG | Lexie Brown | Zia Cooke |
| SG | Layshia Clarendon | Aari McDonald |
| SF | Kia Nurse | Rae Burrell Rickea Jackson |
| PF | Dearica Hamby | Stephanie Talbot |
| C | Cameron Brink | Azurá Stevens Li Yueru |
| 2024 pre-season game log Total: 2–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 2–0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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May: 2–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 2–0)
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| 2024 pre-season schedule | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 game log Total: 8–32 (Home: 5–15; Road: 3–17) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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May: 2–5 (Home: 1–3; Road: 1–2)
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June: 2–9 (Home: 2–1; Road: 0–8)
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July: 2–4 (Home: 1–4; Road: 1–0)
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August: 1–6 (Home: 1–2; Road: 0–4)
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September: 1–8 (Home: 0–5; Road: 1–3)
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| 2024 season schedule | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | yx –New York Liberty | 32 | 8 | .800 | — | 16–4 | 16–4 | 16–4 | 5–0 |
| 2 | cx –Minnesota Lynx | 30 | 10 | .750 | 2 | 14–6 | 16–4 | 14–6 | 4–1 |
| 3 | x –Connecticut Sun | 28 | 12 | .700 | 4 | 14–6 | 14–6 | 14–6 | 4–1 |
| 4 | x –Las Vegas Aces | 27 | 13 | .675 | 5 | 12–8 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 2–3 |
| 5 | x –Seattle Storm | 25 | 15 | .625 | 7 | 13–7 | 14–6 | 11–9 | 4–1 |
| 6 | x –Indiana Fever | 20 | 20 | .500 | 12 | 11–9 | 12–8 | 8–12 | 3–2 |
| 7 | x –Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 21 | .475 | 13 | 10–10 | 10–10 | 9–11 | 3–2 |
| 8 | x –Atlanta Dream | 15 | 25 | .375 | 17 | 7–13 | 8–12 | 7–13 | 1–4 |
| 9 | e –Washington Mystics | 14 | 26 | .350 | 18 | 7–13 | 5–15 | 9–11 | 1–4 |
| 10 | e –Chicago Sky | 13 | 27 | .325 | 19 | 5–15 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 1–4 |
| 11 | e –Dallas Wings | 9 | 31 | .225 | 23 | 6–14 | 7–13 | 2–18 | 0–5 |
| 12 | e –Los Angeles Sparks | 8 | 32 | .200 | 24 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 3–17 | 2–3 |
Notes
| Legend | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game | RPG | Rebounds per game |
| APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game | BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game |
| FG% | Field-goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field-goal percentage | FT% | Free-throw percentage | TO | Turnovers per game |
| PF | Fouls per game | Team leader | League leader | ||||
| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | TO | PF | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dearica Hamby | 40 | 40 | 33.7 | .512 | .341 | .631 | 9.2 | 3.5 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 3.0 | 2.8 | 17.3 |
| Rickea Jackson | 40 | 35 | 28.8 | .456 | .347 | .807 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 1.8 | 13.4 |
| Odyssey Sims≠ | 15 | 10 | 26.3 | .438 | .154 | .838 | 1.7 | 5.1 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 1.4 | 9.8 |
| Azurá Stevens | 20 | 19 | 24.7 | .399 | .350 | .815 | 7.0 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 9.6 |
| Aari McDonald | 26 | 10 | 21.8 | .403 | .319 | .843 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 2.0 | 8.7 |
| Lexie Brown | 16 | 8 | 23.7 | .321 | .304 | .889 | 2.3 | 3.3 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 8.1 |
| Kia Nurse | 40 | 27 | 20.3 | .388 | .331 | .793 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 1.8 | 7.6 |
| Cameron Brink | 15 | 15 | 22.0 | .398 | .323 | .840 | 5.3 | 1.7 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 4.0 | 7.5 |
| Rae Burrell | 37 | 7 | 15.6 | .362 | .333 | .780 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 0.8 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.6 | 5.9 |
| Li Yueru | 38 | 2 | 14.4 | .463 | .267 | .898 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 5.1 |
| Layshia Clarendon | 21 | 12 | 16.0 | .427 | .350 | .870 | 1.8 | 2.6 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 4.3 |
| Zia Cooke | 29 | 0 | 8.9 | .321 | .297 | .690 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 3.6 |
| Stephanie Talbot | 37 | 10 | 16.2 | .395 | .260 | .690 | 2.7 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 3.5 |
| Crystal Dangerfield≠ | 18 | 5 | 12.8 | .286 | .308 | .667 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 3.3 |
| Queen Egbo≠‡ | 2 | 0 | 2.0 | 1.000 | — | — | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 |
‡Waived/Released during the season
†Traded during the season
≠Acquired during the season
| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dearica Hamby | Western Conference Player of the Week | June 11, 2024 | [27] |
| WNBA All-Star | July 2, 2024 | [28] | |
| AP Most Improved Player | September 22, 2024 | [29] | |
| Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award | October 2, 2024 | [30] | |
| Rickea Jackson | AP All-Rookie Team | September 22, 2024 | [29] |
| WNBA All-Rookie Team | October 3, 2024 | [31] |
