| 2001 Los Angeles Sparks season | |
|---|---|
| Coach | Michael Cooper |
| Arena | STAPLES Center |
| Attendance | 9,278 per game |
| Results | |
| Record | 28–4 (.875) |
| Place | 1st (Western) |
| Playoff finish | Won WNBA Finals |
| Media | |
| Television | KCOP (UPN 13) Fox Sports Net West |
The 2001 WNBA season was the fifth season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks won their first WNBA Finals.
| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | College/School/Team |
| 1 | 16 | Camille Cooper (C) |  United States | Purdue |
| 2 | 32 | Nicole Levandusky (G) | United States | Xavier |
| 3 | 48 | Kelley Slemon (F) | United States | Notre Dame |
| 4 | 64 | Beth Record (G/F) | United States | Syracuse |
| Western Conference | W | L | PCT | Conf. | GB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Sparks x | 28 | 4 | .875 | 19–2 | – |
| Sacramento Monarchs x | 20 | 12 | .625 | 13–8 | 8.0 |
| Utah Starzz x | 19 | 13 | .594 | 11–10 | 9.0 |
| Houston Comets x | 19 | 13 | .594 | 13–8 | 9.0 |
| Phoenix Mercury o | 13 | 19 | .406 | 8–13 | 15.0 |
| Minnesota Lynx o | 12 | 20 | .375 | 9–12 | 16.0 |
| Portland Fire o | 11 | 21 | .344 | 5–16 | 17.0 |
| Seattle Storm o | 10 | 22 | .313 | 6–15 | 18.0 |
| Date | Opponent | Score | Result | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 28 | @ Houston | 66-63 | Win | 1-0 |
| June 1 | @ Orlando | 68-62 | Win | 2-0 |
| June 2 | @ Charlotte | 76-67 | Win | 3-0 |
| June 5 | Cleveland | 58-50 | Win | 4-0 |
| June 9 | @ Minnesota | 62-60 | Win | 5-0 |
| June 14 | Orlando | 84-68 | Win | 6-0 |
| June 16 | @ Seattle | 73-60 | Win | 7-0 |
| June 17 | Portland | 90-75 | Win | 8-0 |
| June 19 | Charlotte | 73-69 | Win | 9-0 |
| June 21 | @ Houston | 65-69 | Loss | 9-1 |
| June 22 | @ Cleveland | 70-74 | Loss | 9-2 |
| June 24 | @ New York | 69-82 | Loss | 9-3 |
| June 26 | @ Detroit | 98-89 | Win | 10-3 |
| July 1 | Miami | 86-60 | Win | 11-3 |
| July 3 | Utah | 84-71 | Win | 12-3 |
| July 5 | Phoenix | 73-50 | Win | 13-3 |
| July 8 | Minnesota | 100-95 | Win | 14-3 |
| July 10 | @ Utah | 79-67 | Win | 15-3 |
| July 11 | @ Phoenix | 75-61 | Win | 16-3 |
| July 14 | @ Washington | 62-50 | Win | 17-3 |
| July 19 | @ Sacramento | 83-68 | Win | 18-3 |
| July 21 | Seattle | 85-79 | Win | 19-3 |
| July 25 | Sacramento | 80-78 | Win | 20-3 |
| July 28 | @ Portland | 88-83 | Win | 21-3 |
| July 30 | Minnesota | 78-69 | Win | 22-3 |
| August 2 | Sacramento | 67-62 | Win | 23-3 |
| August 4 | Seattle | 79-60 | Win | 24-3 |
| August 6 | Indiana | 81-66 | Win | 25-3 |
| August 8 | Phoenix | 79-67 | Win | 26-3 |
| August 11 | Houston | 65-54 | Win | 27-3 |
| August 13 | @ Utah | 78-80 | Loss | 27-4 |
| August 14 | @ Portland | 67-58 | Win | 28-4 |
| Game | Date | Opponent | Score | Result | Record |
| Western Conference Semifinals | |||||
| 1 | August 18 | @ Houston | 64-59 | Win | 1-0 |
| 2 | August 20 | Houston | 70-58 | Win | 2-0 |
| Western Conference Finals | |||||
| 1 | August 24 | @ Sacramento | 74-73 | Win | 3-0 |
| 2 | August 26 | Sacramento | 60-80 | Loss | 3-1 |
| 3 | August 27 | Sacramento | 93-62 | Win | 4-1 |
| WNBA Finals | |||||
| 1 | August 30 | @ Charlotte | 75-66 | Win | 5-1 |
| 2 | September 1 | Charlotte | 82-54 | Win | 6-1 |
| Player | Games Played | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisa Leslie | 31 | 298 | 73 | 34 | 71 | 606 |
| Tamecka Dixon | 29 | 85 | 114 | 27 | 2 | 340 |
| DeLisha Milton-Jones | 32 | 169 | 68 | 49 | 29 | 330 |
| Mwadi Mabika | 28 | 130 | 87 | 39 | 11 | 313 |
| Latasha Byears | 32 | 183 | 29 | 42 | 13 | 297 |
| Ukari Figgs | 32 | 100 | 126 | 43 | 4 | 257 |
| Rhonda Mapp | 30 | 79 | 14 | 16 | 6 | 126 |
| Verdana Grgin-Fonseca | 24 | 35 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 71 |
| Nicky McCrimmon | 28 | 12 | 63 | 21 | 0 | 64 |
| Nicole Levandusky | 13 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 20 |
| Wendi Wilts | 13 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
The Los Angeles Sparks are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Sparks compete in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) as a member club of the league's Western Conference. The team was founded before the league's inaugural 1997 season began. Like some other WNBA teams, the Sparks have the distinction of not being affiliated with an NBA counterpart, even though the market is shared with the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers. As of 2023, the Sparks are the most recent franchise to win back-to-back titles.
Lisa Deshaun Leslie is an American former professional basketball player. She is currently the head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league, as well as a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts on Bally Sports Florida. In 2002, Leslie made history as the first player to dunk during a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) game. Leslie was ranked 5th on ESPN.com's 2021 list of the WNBA's greatest players of all time.
Alana Monique Beard is an American former professional basketball player. After playing college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, she was drafted second overall by the Washington Mystics in the 2004 WNBA draft. She signed on with the Los Angeles Sparks as a free agent in 2012. Beard was the 2017 and 2018 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. However, she was injured next season, only contributing a few points for the Sparks. Beard announced her retirement from the WNBA on January 23, 2020.
Candace Nicole Parker nicknamed "Ace", is an American professional basketball player for the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, she was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. She spent 13 seasons on the Sparks and two seasons with the Chicago Sky, winning a championship with each team.
Tina Marie Thompson is an American former WNBA professional basketball player and coach. Most recently, she served as the head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers women's basketball team from 2018 to 2022. Thompson was inducted into both the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
The following are the basketball events of the year 2002 throughout the world.
The following are the basketball events of the year 2001 throughout the world.
The 1997 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's inaugural season. It started off with 8 franchises: Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, and the Utah Starzz. It featured an inaugural game between the New York Liberty and the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks lost to the New York Liberty, 67–57. The attendance at the Forum was 14,284. The season ended with the Comets defeating the Liberty in a one-game series 65–51. Cynthia Cooper was named MVP of the game.
The 2006 WNBA Season was the Women's National Basketball Association's tenth season. The league added one team the Chicago Sky. The Sky was the first expansion team since 2000 when the Indiana Fever, Miami Sol, Portland Fire, and the Seattle Storm came to the WNBA. On April 5 the WNBA held their draft. Seimone Augustus, guard out of Louisiana State University was the number one overall pick. She was selected by the Minnesota Lynx. Cappie Pondexter, guard out of Rutgers University went number two. She was selected by the Phoenix Mercury. The season started on May 20 with a game between Sacramento Monarchs and Phoenix Mercury. The game was televised by ABC. The Monarchs won the game 105–78. On July 12, The All Star Game was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The East All Stars defeated the Western All Stars 98–82. Katie Douglas of the Connecticut Sun was named MVP in the game with her 16 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists. The 2006 WNBA season concluded on August 13. Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks won the league MVP. Mike Thibault of the Connecticut Sun was named Coach of The Year. Seimone Augustus of the Minnesota Lynx was named Rookie of the Year. The season ended with the Detroit Shock winning their second WNBA Championship.
The 2008 Los Angeles Sparks season was the 12th season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks returned to the postseason for the first time since 2006.
The 1997 WNBA season was the first season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Division with a record of 14 wins and 14 losses.
The 2002 WNBA season was the sixth season for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks ended the season winning the WNBA Finals for the second straight year. As of 2012, this is the last WNBA team to win back to back championships.
The 2007 WNBA season was the eleventh for the Los Angeles Sparks.
The 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season is the 13th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Lisa Leslie announced that the 2009 season would be her last. On June 5, the Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership that includes a branded jersey sponsorship. The Farmers Insurance branded jersey will be worn by the players for the first time on June 6. As part of this alliance, the Farmers Insurance name and logo will appear on the front of the Sparks jerseys and will have considerable visibility in the Staples Center during home games. Los Angeles became only the second WNBA team to finalize such an agreement. The Sparks attempted to reach the playoffs and were successful.
The Women's National Basketball Association Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) is an annual Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) award given since the league's inaugural season.
The 2003 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2003 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Detroit Shock, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, defeated the Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, two games to one in a best-of-three series. This was Detroit's first title.
The 2002 WNBA Finals was the championship series of the 2002 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the New York Liberty, top-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in a best-of-three series. This was Los Angeles' second title.
The 2001 WNBA Championship was the championship series of the 2001 WNBA season, and the conclusion of the season's playoffs. The Los Angeles Sparks, top-seeded champions of the Western Conference, defeated the Charlotte Sting, fourth-seeded champions of the Eastern Conference, two games to none in a best-of-three series. This was Los Angeles' first title.
The 2004 WNBA season was the eighth for the Los Angeles Sparks. The Sparks' head coach, Michael Cooper, left the team during the season. Despite with that, the team finished in first place in the West, but they were unable to make another playoff run, losing in the opening round to the Sacramento Monarchs.
The USC Trojans women's basketball team, or the Women of Troy, is the collegiate women's basketball team that represents the University of Southern California, in the Pac-12 Conference. The team rose to prominence in 1976, at which time scholarships became available to female basketball players. They were the first Division I team to give these scholarships.