Free-agent center Liz Cambage announced Monday she is stepping away from the WNBA “for the time being.” Cambage and the Sparks agreed to part ways in July.
“Playing for the Sparks was a dream come true and I’m honored to have shared the court with such amazing ladies for as long as we did,” Cambage wrote on Instagram. “I’m sorry to have left abruptly and I wish it would have ended on a different note. I’ve decided to step away from the league for the time being and I’m hopeful that the WNBA will do their part in creating safer environments and a stronger support system for their players.
“While I’ll miss rocking the purple and gold, I’ll be taking this time to focus on my healing and personal growth before providing clarification on past rumors,” she continued. “Thank you to all my supporters, family and friends for all the love and light you continue to surround me with.”
Cambage signed with Los Angeles on Feb. 15 as a free agent and was averaging 13.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 25 games this season before both sides agreed to terminate her contract with the team on July 26. That same day, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported there were numerous conflicts that led to the mutual decision.
The disputes between Cambage and the Sparks reportedly started with the four-time All-Star’s selection of a jersey number. She reportedly wanted to sport No. 8, but the Sparks said she couldn’t due to the team retiring DeLisha Milton-Jones’s number. Then, she wanted No. 1; however, Amanda Zahui B. already wore the number, and it reportedly meant a lot to the forward.
Even when the Sparks approached Zahui B. about potentially changing her number, she declined. But, the Sparks did it anyway. The forward reportedly found out about her number changing on social media.
Additionally, Cambage reportedly had locker room troubles with some of her teammates. The 30-year-old would “call out” her fellow teammates during film sessions because she thought they didn’t pass to her enough, per Yahoo Sports. The teammates would explain why, but tensions continued to grow.
In her last game with the Sparks vs. her former team, the Aces, Cambage reportedly complained on the court because, once again, she didn’t think her teammates were passing her the ball enough. In the game, her Sparks teammates found ways to give her the ball even when it wasn’t included in the plays just to satisfy her. The Sparks then lost 84–66, causing Cambage to leave the locker room early.
“I can’t do this anymore. Best of luck to you guys,” Cambage said while leaving the locker room.
Cambage faced additional controversy in the run-up to the 2021 Olympics when she reportedly used a racial slur during a heated scrimmage with Nigeria. According to a May investigation conducted by The Daily Telegraph, Cambage was seen on camera participating in a scuffle with members of the Nigerian national team after the Australian center elbowed one opponent in the head and slapped another in the face in a closed-door practice. During the ensuing fight, Cambage reportedly called the Nigerian players “monkeys” and told them to “go back to your third-world country,” per testimony given by anonymous Nigerian players present at the scene.
Cambage, whose father is Nigerian, denied the report in May. Per the report, he apologized to the Nigerian team a day after the incident, but it “wasn’t well received by every player.” Cambage would eventually withdraw from the Tokyo Olympics ahead of its July 23 start date. At the time, Cambage said the reason for the decision was to “take care of myself mentally and physically.”
In June, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert said the Australian team had yet to send all the information needed for any further investigating, and the league never handed down a punishment.
