The Los Angeles Sparks found their next head coach in University of Utah's Lynne Roberts.
Roberts, a California native and 2022-23 Pac-12 Coach of the Year, brings 22 seasons of women's college basketball head coaching experience to the Sparks. She led the Utes to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three seasons.
“I am honored to be named the next head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks,” Roberts said in a team statement that announced her hiring.
"The Sparks have a talented roster with tremendous upside," Roberts continued. "We will compete tirelessly for WNBA championships. I believe Los Angeles should be the premier market in the WNBA, and I’m eager to partner with our players and front office to make this happen.”
The Sparks and legendary WNBA head coach Curt Miller mutually agreed to part ways in late September which commenced the team's search for a new leader. Miller then landed with the Dallas Wings as their executive vice president and general manager. The Wings won the WNBA Draft Lottery on Sunday.
Now, Roberts gets the chance to bring one of the league's most promising young cores into contention. The Sparks are building around their two first-round picks from last season in lengthy center Cameron Brink and their bucket-getting forward, Rickea Jackson.
L.A. landed at No. 2 in Sunday's lottery, where they will pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Another opportunity to add a promising piece to their core.
Roberts has been mentored by the winningest head coach in college basketball history, and Brink’s former coach, Tara VanDerveer, who said in 2024 that Roberts’ teams “play what I call beautiful basketball.”
Entering the 2024-25 season, which she began as Utah’s head coach, Roberts’ collegiate head coaching record stood at 383-290.
Now, the WNBA is her next challenge.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Los Angeles Sparks Hire Lynne Roberts As Next Head Coach.
