The 2023 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 27th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), and the first season under head coach Curt Miller. The season tipped off on May 19, 2023, versus the Phoenix Mercury.
The Sparks hired Miller on October 21, 2022. He previously served as the head for the Connecticut Sun, and led the Sun to the 2022 WNBA Finals. He also previously served as an assistant coach for the Sparks in 2015.
The Sparks won their opening game of the season before dropping the next two games to Las Vegas to finish the opening month 1–2. June was an up and down month that saw the Sparks win their first two games, but then alternate wins and losses for the next five games. They won two games in a row over Dallas but then they lost their final two games of the month to Chicago. They would ultimately finish the month 6–7. July was not as good of a month for the Sparks as they lost six games in a row to start the month. They won two games against Indiana but lost their final game of the month to finish July 2–7. August began with two losses, but then the Sparks went on a six-game winning streak. August finished with three straight losses, and the Sparks finished August 6–5. The Sparks were fighting for the eighth and final playoff seed entering September and they won their opening game. They then lost their next two games, and were eliminated from playoff contention on September 8 when they did not play, but Chicago defeated Minnesota. They won their final game of the season to finish September 2–2 and one game out of the eighth playoff spot. This marked the third straight year of the Sparks not qualifying for the playoffs.
Transactions
WNBA draft
Round Pick Player Nationality School/team/country 1 10 Zia Cooke South Carolina 2 14 Shaneice Swain Cairns Dolphins 3 26 Monika Czinano Iowa
Transactions DateTransaction October 21, 2022 Hired Curt Miller as head coach December 31, 2022 Renounced the rights to Ivana Raca January 3, 2023 Hired Karen Bryant as Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager Promoted Eli Horowitz to Assistant General Manager January 4, 2023 Hired Steve Smith and Chris Koclanes as assistant coaches January 13, 2023 Extended Qualifying Offer to Kianna Smith January 16, 2023 Traded Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Jasmine Walker, and Kianna Smith to the Connecticut Sun in exchange for Jasmine Thomas and the 10th Overall Pick in the 2023 WNBA draft January 21, 2023 Traded Amanda Zahui B and a 2024 Second-Round Pick to the Las Vegas Aces in exchange for Dearica Hamby and a 2024 First-Round Pick February 1, 2023 Signed Lexie Brown to a 2-Year Deal Signed Stephanie Talbot to a Multi-Year Deal February 3, 2023 Signed Azurá Stevens February 7, 2023 Signed Layshia Clarendon to a training-camp contract February 8, 2023 Signed Jordin Canada to a training-camp contract February 19, 2023 Signed Yang Liwei to a rookie-scale contract February 21, 2023 Signed Karlie Samuelson and Reshanda Gray to training-camp contracts February 22, 2023 Signed Chiney Ogwumike to a 1-Year Deal February 24, 2023 Signed Nneka Ogwumike to a 1-Year Deal February 28, 2023 Full-Season Suspension of Stephanie Talbot due to Overseas Injury March 9, 2023 Hired Danielle Viglione as assistant coach March 17, 2023 Waived Chennedy Carter April 13, 2023 Signed Zia Cooke and Monika Czinano to rookie-scale contracts Signed Joyner Holmes and Crystal Bradford to training-camp contracts May 13, 2023 Waived Crystal Bradford and Reshanda Gray May 15, 2023 Waived Monika Czinano May 16, 2023 Waived Karlie Samuelson and Rae Burrell May 17, 2023 Waived Yang Liwei May 18, 2023 Claimed Nia Clouden off Waivers Placed Katie Lou Samuelson on the Inactive List due to Pregnancy/Child-Birth Signed Karlie Samuelson to a Hardship Contract May 27, 2023 Signed Rae Burrell to a Hardship Contract May 29, 2023 Released Rae Burrell from the Hardship Contract June 5, 2023 Waived Joyner Holmes Released Karlie Samuelson from the Hardship Contract June 6, 2023 Signed Karlie Samuelson June 16, 2023 Signed Destanni Henderson to a Hardship Contract June 17, 2023 Signed Rae Burrell to a Hardship Contract July 16, 2023 Released Destanni Henderson from the Hardship Contract July 31, 2023 Signed Evina Westbrook to a 7-Day Contract August 7, 2023 Signed Evina Westbrook to a 2nd 7-Day Contract August 14, 2023 Signed Evina Westbrook to a 3rd 7-Day Contract August 21, 2023 Signed Evina Westbrook to a Hardship Contract
Roster Changes
Additions
PersonnelSigned/TradeFormer team Jasmine Thomas Trade Connecticut Sun Dearica Hamby Trade Las Vegas Aces Stephanie Talbot Free Agency Seattle Storm Azurá Stevens Free Agency Chicago Sky Layshia Clarendon Free Agency - Karlie Samuelson Free Agency Townsville Fire Zia Cooke Draft Pick 2023 Draft Pick Nia Clouden Waiver Claim Connecticut Sun Evina Westbrook Free Agency Phoenix Mercury
Subtractions PersonnelReasonNew team Olivia Nelson-Ododa Trade Connecticut Sun Jasmine Walker Trade Connecticut Sun Kianna Smith Trade Connecticut Sun Amanda Zahui B Trade Las Vegas Aces Chennedy Carter Waived - Kianna Smith Free Agency - Brittney Sykes Free Agency Washington Mystics Kristi Toliver Free Agency Washington Mystics
Roster
Depth chart Pos.StarterBench PG Jordin Canada Jasmine ThomasNia Clouden SG Layshia Clarendon Zia CookeLexie Brown SF Karlie Samuelson Evina WestbrookRae Burrell PF Nneka Ogwumike Dearica Hamby C Azurá Stevens Chiney Ogwumike
Schedule
Preseason
| 1 | May 127:00 p.m. | at Phoenix | W 90–71 | Zia Cooke (12) | C. OgwumikeN. OgwumikeHolmes (4) | CanadaLiwei (5) | Footprint CenterN/A | 1–0
Regular season
| 1 | May 19 | Phoenix | W 94–71 | Nneka Ogwumike (17) | Chiney Ogwumike (7) | Jordin Canada (5) | Crypto.com Arena10,396 | 1–0 |- | 2 | May 25 | Las Vegas | L 85–94 | Chiney Ogwumike (19) | Chiney Ogwumike (8) | Layshia Clarendon (6) | Crypto.com Arena7,314 | 1–1 |- | 3 | May 27 | @ Las Vegas | L 65–93 | Nneka Ogwumike (16) | Karlie Samuelson (7) | Nia Clouden (5) | Michelob Ultra Arena10,191 | 1–2
| 4 | June 2 | @ Phoenix | W 99–93 (OT) | Lexie Brown (26) | Nneka Ogwumike (12) | Nneka Ogwumike (6) | Footprint Center8,815 | 2–2 |- | 5 | June 3 | Seattle | W 92–83 | Nneka Ogwumike (27) | Nneka Ogwumike (13) | Jordin Canada (7) | Crypto.com Arena6,866 | 3–2 |- | 6 | June 6 | @ Seattle | L 63–66 | Nneka Ogwumike (22) | Nneka Ogwumike (11) | Jordin Canada (5) | Climate Pledge Arena7,840 | 3–3 |- | 7 | June 9 | Chicago | W 77–62 | Nneka Ogwumike (19) | Nneka Ogwumike (14) | CanadaN. Ogwumike (5) | Crypto.com Arena5,431 | 4–3 |- | 8 | June 11 | @ Minnesota | L 86–91 | Nneka Ogwumike (27) | Dearica Hamby (9) | Jordin Canada (8) | Target Center8,025 | 4–4 |- | 9 | June 14 | @ Dallas | W 79–61 | Dearica Hamby (23) | Nneka Ogwumike (10) | Jordin Canada (6) | College Park Center5,807 | 5–4 |- | 10 | June 16 | Minnesota | L 72–77 | Jordin Canada (22) | Dearica Hamby (9) | Nneka Ogwumike (7) | Crypto.com Arena5,265 | 5–5 |- | 11 | June 18 | Connecticut | L 74–83 | Nneka Ogwumike (19) | Nneka Ogwumike (15) | Jordin Canada (6) | Crypto.com Arena6,289 | 5–6 |- | 12 | June 20 | Minnesota | L 61–67 | Nneka Ogwumike (20) | Nneka Ogwumike (9) | Jordin Canada (5) | Crypto.com Arena4,180 | 5–7 |- | 13 | June 23 | Dallas | W 76–74 | Nneka Ogwumike (20) | Dearica Hamby (10) | Jordin Canada (6) | Crypto.com Arena5,766 | 6–7 |- | 14 | June 25 | Dallas | W 93–83 | Nneka Ogwumike (27) | Nneka Ogwumike (12) | Jordin Canada (9) | Crypto.com Arena6,380 | 7–7 |- | 15 | June 28 | @ Chicago | L 63–80 | Nneka Ogwumike (16) | Nneka Ogwumike (11) | Jordin Canada (5) | Wintrust Arena8,810 | 7–8 |- | 16 | June 30 | @ Chicago | L 78–86 | Azurá Stevens (15) | Dearica Hamby (12) | Jordin Canada (4) | Wintrust Arena7,272 | 7–9
| 17 | July 2 | @ Atlanta | L 84–112 | Nneka Ogwumike (25) | Azurá Stevens (9) | Destanni Henderson (6) | Gateway Center Arena3,209 | 7–10 |- | 18 | July 5 | Atlanta | L 79–90 | Nneka Ogwumike (19) | Azurá Stevens (12) | Jordin Canada (7) | Crypto.com Arena5,912 | 7–11 |- | 19 | July 9 | @ Phoenix | L 72–78 | Nneka Ogwumike (20) | Nneka Ogwumike (14) | CookeThomas (4) | Footprint Center9,206 | 7–12 |- | 20 | July 12 | Las Vegas | L 78–97 | Azurá Stevens (22) | Azurá Stevens (12) | Karlie Samuelson (6) | Crypto.com Arena8,085 | 7–13 |- | 21 | July 20 | @ Minnesota | L 70–73 | Nneka Ogwumike (19) | Nneka Ogwumike (9) | Jordin Canada (8) | Target Center7,014 | 7–14 |- | 22 | July 22 | @ Dallas | L 84–98 | Dearica Hamby (18) | CanadaN. Ogwumike (5) | Jordin Canada (7) | College Park Center5,041 | 7–15 |- | 23 | July 25 | Indiana | W 79–78 | Nneka Ogwumike (30) | Nneka Ogwumike (8) | Jordin Canada (10) | Crypto.com Arena5,565 | 8–15 |- | 24 | July 27 | Indiana | W 81–68 | Nneka Ogwumike (25) | Nneka Ogwumike (9) | Jordin Canada (7) | Crypto.com Arena11,970 | 9–15 |- | 25 | July 30 | New York | L 79–87 | Dearica Hamby (21) | Dearica Hamby (6) | Jordin Canada (4) | Crypto.com Arena8,139 | 9–16
| 26 | August 1 | New York | L 69–76 | Nneka Ogwumike (20) | Nneka Ogwumike (8) | Jordin Canada (6) | Crypto.com Arena6,498 | 9–17 |- | 27 | August 4 | @ Washington | L 77–79 | Azurá Stevens (19) | CanadaN. Ogwumike (8) | Jordin Canada (7) | Entertainment and Sports Arena3,747 | 9–18 |- | 28 | August 6 | @ Washington | W 91–83 | Nneka Ogwumike (20) | Nneka Ogwumike (10) | Jordin Canada (7) | Entertainment and Sports Arena4,073 | 10–18 |- | 29 | August 8 | @ Indiana | W 87–80 | Nneka Ogwumike (20) | Nneka Ogwumike (11) | Jordin Canada (7) | Gainbridge Fieldhouse3,006 | 11–18 |- | 30 | August 12 | Atlanta | W 85–74 | Jordin Canada (20) | Azurá Stevens (8) | Jordin Canada (8) | Crypto.com Arena7,119 | 12–18 |- | 31 | August 19 | @ Las Vegas | W 78–72 | Layshia Clarendon (22) | Nneka Ogwumike (11) | Layshia Clarendon (5) | Michelob Ultra Arena10,348 | 13–18 |- | 32 | August 23 | Phoenix | W 91–62 | Azurá Stevens (20) | Azurá Stevens (9) | Jordin Canada (7) | Galen Center3,469 | 14–18 |- | 33 | August 25 | @ Atlanta | W 83–78 | Nneka Ogwumike (29) | Nneka Ogwumike (12) | Jordin Canada (9) | Gateway Center Arena2,957 | 15–18 |- | 34 | August 27 | @ Connecticut | L 68–83 | Azurá Stevens (17) | Dearica Hamby (9) | Layshia Clarendon (6) | Mohegan Sun Arena6,783 | 15–19 |- | 35 | August 29 | Chicago | L 75–76 | Nneka Ogwumike (18) | Nneka Ogwumike (11) | Jordin Canada (9) | Crypto.com Arena6,041 | 15–20 |- | 36 | August 31 | Seattle | L 61–72 | Nneka Ogwumike (11) | Nneka Ogwumike (7) | Jordin Canada (4) | Crypto.com Arena6,101 | 15–21
| 37 | September 3 | Washington | W 72–64 | Layshia Clarendon (15) | Dearica Hamby (10) | CanadaClarendonHambySamuelson (3) | Galen Center4,284 | 16–21 |- | 38 | September 5 | @ Connecticut | L 76–90 | HambyStevens (18) | Azurá Stevens (11) | Jordin Canada (8) | Mohegan Sun Arena4,783 | 16–22 |- | 39 | September 7 | @ New York | L 89–96 | Layshia Clarendon (30) | HambyStevens (8) | Jordin Canada (5) | Barclays Center6,275 | 16–23 |- | 40 | September 10 | @ Seattle | W 91–89 | Nneka Ogwumike (22) | Dearica Hamby (12) | Jordin Canada (7) | Climate Pledge Arena10,728 | 17–23
Standings
Statistics
Regular season