There’s a certain level of delusional optimism one needs to spin 2024 as a step in the right direction for the Los Angeles Sparks; I don’t have it.
Murphy’s Law was in full effect in Los Angeles. The Sparks had a franchise-low eight victories. The injury bug not only took out Cameron Brink, the No. 2 pick in the draft, with a torn ACL, but also forced Lexie Brown to miss most of the year due to Crohn’s disease. Layshia Clarendon stopped playing due to mental health reasons and announced their retirement upon the season’s conclusion.
In press conferences, Sparks head coach Curt Miller rarely had his feet held to the fire for the team’s performances, and it seemed like no one had an issue with the current state of the Sparks. Well, the front office had a different perspective. Shortly after the season ended, it was announced that the organization and Miller had mutually parted ways.
The news seemed to come as a shock, or at the very least a disappointment, to the players, as All-Star Dearica Hamby shared a heartfelt comment about Miller on social media.
A little lost for words honestly…. this is hard for me as a big part of my transition success and support to LA has been Curt. I hope there is grace in this process for a proven, amazing coach. Everything shouldn’t fall on his shoulders and there’s so much more that goes into…
— Dearica Marie Hamby (@dearicamarie) September 25, 2024
Now, the Sparks are entering an offseason in which they have no coach and missed the playoffs for a franchise-record fourth-straight season. The one glimmer of hope they have is a big one: They have the best odds of winning the 2025 WNBA Draft Lottery and earning the right to draft first and take UConn’s Paige Bueckers. But more on that later.
For now, here’s the little that went right, much of what went wrong and what’s next for the Sparks:
What went right in Los Angeles?
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The Sparks’ core proved to be good. Rookie Rickea Jackson, selected No. 4 overall, improved by the minute and averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists on the season. Even in a rookie class featuring generational talents like the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, Jackson made noise and demonstrated why she is one of the best young players in the WNBA.
Hamby was an All-Star, averaging 17.3 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists, all career-high numbers for the 10-year veteran. She was a legitimate candidate for Most Improved Player; Hamby got the second-most votes behind the winner, the Connecticut Sun’s DiJonai Carrington.
With Hamby on board, Jackson rising and Brink returning, the Sparks have a nice nucleus to build on heading into 2025.
What went wrong in Los Angeles?
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It wasn’t just injuries that plagued the Sparks; they flat-out didn’t have the talent or execution to win games. Repeatedly, the offense would completely stall as opponents went on huge runs in the second halves of games to secure the result.
Sparks’ guards struggled to make entry passes to Hamby. Too often, they did not feed her the ball, turned it over or, instead of getting the ball to her where she wanted it when she had her opponent sealed, failed to get her possession until she was out of position and off balance.
Miller was honest about the play on the court, and to his credit, he took ownership of the team’s poor performance.
As a coach, if you own 13-conference titles in 13-years, 2-WNBA Coy, the best record in the W over a 6-season stretch, & 2-final appearances.. you better own when you are having a poor year. I own it, need to be better for our young team. #Sparkswillrise #grind
— Curt Miller (@CurtMillerWBB) August 26, 2024
That said, while the injuries don’t justify every defeat, they provide context for why things got so bad.
Brink was amazing to start the year, and it looked like she already was one of the best defenders and rim protectors in the league. Unfortunately, an ACL tear cut her rookie campaign short and robbed her of her Olympic debut with Team USA in 3×3 play. With so many guards out, the Sparks had to sign Odyssey Sims and Crystal Dangerfield to hardship deals. Both ended up playing out the rest of the season with team, but had little chance to practice or get acclimated with their teammates.
2024 became a year about what could have been and what will be, rather than what was.
What’s next for the Sparks?
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Photo by Dylan Goodman/NBAE via Getty Images
The biggest day for the Sparks in 2024 hasn’t happened yet. It will occur sometime in December, when the league holds its 2025 draft lottery and we find out who gets the No. 1 pick. Los Angeles has the best odds and desperately needs to win so they can draft Bueckers and truly begin heading in the right direction.
A head coaching search also must begin immediately. Perhaps someone like Teresa Weatherspoon, who was just let go by the Chicago Sky, could come to Los Angeles and change the culture.
Whoever they pick, they have to get it right. The Sparks are playing in one of the biggest markets, and with the WNBA booming, the product they’ve been putting out during most of the 2020s is unacceptable. The time is now to get this train on the tracks and start heading towards title contention.
