2021 Los Angeles Sparks season

Last updated

2021 Los Angeles Sparks season
Coach Derek Fisher
Arena Los Angeles Convention Center
Staples Center
Attendance1,221 per game
Results
Record1220 (.375)
Place6th (Western)
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Team Leaders
Points Nneka Ogwumike – 14.5 ppg
Rebounds Nneka Ogwumike – 6.5 rpg
Assists Erica Wheeler – 4.8 apg
Media
Television Spectrum SportsNet
ESPN2, CBSSN, NBATV

The 2021 WNBA season was the 25th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season tipped off on May 14, 2021, versus the Dallas Wings. [1]

Contents

The Sparks split time in two arenas during the 2021 season. They played at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May until July and then played at the Staples Center after the league took its Olympic break. [2]

The Sparks started the season slowly, losing the first two games. However, they won the next two to finish May with a 2–2 record. June proved difficult, as the team couldn't sustain a winning streak, as wins were followed by two losses frequently. They finished June 4–7 and 6–9 overall. The Sparks went into the Olympic break on a low note when they lost all four games in July. After the break, a favorable schedule contributed to a four-game winning streak to begin the August schedule, with wins over Indiana and Atlanta who finished in the bottom two of the final regular season standings. Once the winning streak ended, the Sparks lost six straight games to slide to 10–19 going into the final three games of the season. Despite winning two of the last three, a final day loss meant the Sparks finished outside the playoff places with a 12–20 overall record.

Transactions

WNBA draft

RoundPickPlayerNationalitySchool/Team/Country
17 Jasmine Walker Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States Alabama
110 Stephanie Watts Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States North Carolina
222 Arella Guirantes Flag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico Rutgers
328Ivana RacaFlag of Serbia.svg  Serbia Wake Forest
334Aina AyusoFlag of Spain.svg  Spain Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)

Trades/Roster Changes

DateDetails
December 31, 2020Renounced rights to G Ángela Salvadores [3]
January 6, 2021Extended Qualifying Offers to G Brittney Sykes and C Marianna Tolo [4]
January 7, 2021Extended Qualifying Offer to G Te'a Cooper [5]
January 11, 2021Re-Signed G Te'a Cooper [6]
January 13, 2021Cored F Nneka Ogwumike [7]
February 2, 2021Signed G Erica Wheeler [8]
February 8, 2021Re-Signed G Brittney Sykes [9]
February 11, 2021Signed C Amanda Zahui B. [10]
February 19, 2021Signed G Bria Holmes [11]
February 22, 2021Re-Signed G/F Seimone Augustus [12]
February 25, 2021Re-Signed F/C Chiney Ogwumike [13]
March 2, 2021Re-Signed F Nneka Ogwumike [14]
March 4, 2021Signed G Nia Coffey to a Training Camp Contract [15]
March 16, 2021Waived C Marie Gülich [16]
April 14, 2021Acquired the 7th pick in the 2021 WNBA draft and Dallas's 2md Round pick in the 2022 WNBA draft in exchange for the Sparks' 2022 1st Round pick. [17]
April 18, 2021Waived G Tierra Ruffin-Pratt [18]
April 19, 2021Signed G Stephanie Watts to a Rookie Scale Contract [19]
April 20, 2021Signed F Jasmine Walker to a Rookie Scale Contract [20]
May 6, 2021Signed G Arella Guirantes to a Rookie Scale Contract [21]
May 9, 2021Traded G Stephanie Watts and the rights to G Leonie Fiebich to Chicago in exchange for G/F Gabby Williams [22]
May 13, 2021G Seimone Augustus retires and is named an Assistant Coach [23]
Traded G Sydney Wiese to Washington in exchange for a 2022 2nd Round Pick. [24]
Waived F Kristine Anigwe. [25]
Temporarily Suspend C Maria Vadeeva. [26]
May 14, 2021Signed G/F Gabby Williams to a Contract Extension [27]
June 4, 2021Signed G Karlie Samuelson and C Kristine Anigwe to Hardship Contracts [28]
June 28, 2021Released C Kristine Anigwe from the Hardship Contract and Waived G Bria Holmes [29]
June 29, 2021Released G Karlie Samuelson from the Hardship Contract [30]
June 30, 2021Signed C Lauren Cox [31]
Signed G Karlie Samuelson to a Hardship Contract [32]
Signed G Bria Holmes to a Hardship Contract [33]
August 3, 2021Terminated the Hardship Contracts of Bria Holmes and Karlie Samuelson [34]
Signed G Karlie Samuelson to a 7-Day Contract [35]

Roster

2021 Los Angeles Sparks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
F 12 Flag of the United States.svg Coffey, Nia 6' 1" (1.85m)182 lb (83kg)1995-06-11 Northwestern 4
G 2 Flag of the United States.svg Cooper, Te'a 5' 8" (1.73m)160 lb (73kg)1997-04-16 Baylor 1
F 13 Flag of the United States.svg Cox, Lauren 6' 4" (1.93m)205 lb (93kg)1998-04-20 Baylor 1
G 22 Flag of Puerto Rico.svg Guirantes, Arella 5' 11" (1.8m)165 lb (75kg)1997-10-15 Rutgers R
F 30 Flag of the United States.svg Ogwumike, Nneka 6' 2" (1.88m)174 lb (79kg)1990-07-02 Stanford 9
F/C 31 Flag of the United States.svg Ogwumike, Chiney 6' 3" (1.91m)183 lb (83kg)1992-03-21 Stanford 4
G 15 Flag of the United States.svg Sykes, Brittney 5' 9" (1.75m)154 lb (70kg)1994-02-07 Syracuse 4
G 20 Flag of the United States.svg Toliver, Kristi 5' 7" (1.7m)130 lb (59kg)1987-01-27 Maryland 11
C 7 Flag of Russia.svg Vadeeva, Maria  (S)6' 4" (1.93m)185 lb (84kg)1998-07-16 Russia 2
F 40 Flag of the United States.svg Walker, Jasmine   Cruz Roja.svg 6' 3" (1.91m)182 lb (83kg)1998-02-03 Alabama R
G 17 Flag of the United States.svg Wheeler, Erica 5' 7" (1.7m)143 lb (65kg)1991-05-02 Rutgers 5
C 1 Flag of Sweden.svg Zahui B., Amanda 6' 5" (1.96m)184 lb (83kg)1993-09-08 Minnesota 6
Head coach
Flag of the United States.svg Derek Fisher (Little Rock)
Assistant coaches
Flag of the United States.svg Latricia Trammell (East Central University)
Flag of the United States.svg Fred Williams (Boise State)
Flag of the United States.svg Seimone Augustus (LSU)
Athletic trainer
Flag of the United States.svg Courtney Watson (California)
Strength and conditioning coach
Flag of the United States.svg Kelly Dormandy (Springfield College)

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Cruz Roja.svg Injured

Game log

Preseason

2021 pre-season game log
May: 1–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
1May 2@ Las Vegas W 80–71 Scrimmage Michelob Ultra Arena
No Fans
1–0
2May 8 Las Vegas T 85–85 Jasmine Walker (23) Jasmine Walker (9) Wheeler
Cooper (5)
Los Angeles Convention Center
No Fans
1–0–1
2021 pre-season schedule

Regular season

2021 game log
Total: 12–20 (Home: 8–8; Road: 4–12)
May: 2–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
1May 14 Dallas L 71–94 Nneka Ogwumike (18) Nneka Ogwumike (8) Brittney Sykes (3) Los Angeles Convention Center
No Fans
0–1
2May 21@ Las Vegas 69–97 Nneka Ogwumike (19) Guirantes
C. Ogwumike
N. Ogwumike (5)
Kristi Toliver (5) Michelob Ultra Arena
1,972
0–2
3May 28@ Chicago W 76–61 Nneka Ogwumike (14) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Erica Wheeler (6) Wintrust Arena
1,124
1–2
4May 30@ Chicago W 82–79 Nneka Ogwumike (21) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Erica Wheeler (7) Wintrust Arena
1,124
2–2
July : 0–4 (Home: 0–3; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
16July 2 Las Vegas L 58–66 Erica Wheeler (15) Amanda Zahui B (12) Erica Wheeler (5) Los Angeles Convention Center
959
6–10
17July 4 Seattle L 74–84 Sykes
Wheeler (19)
Brittney Sykes (10) Sykes
Wheeler (5)
Los Angeles Convention Center
716
6–11
18July 7@ Seattle L 62–71 Erica Wheeler (22) Amanda Zahui B (9) Erica Wheeler (3) Angel of the Winds Arena
2,730
6–12
19July 11 Minnesota L 61–86 Sykes
Wheeler (14)
Lauren Cox (8) Erica Wheeler (6) Los Angeles Convention Center
892
6–13
August : 4–4 (Home: 3–0; Road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
20August 15 Indiana W 75–70 Brittney Sykes (16) Amanda Zahui B (9) Toliver
Wheeler (6)
Staples Center
2,029
7–13
21August 17 Atlanta W 85–80 (OT) Brittney Sykes (17) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Staples Center
2,200
8–13
22August 19 Atlanta W 66–64 Nneka Ogwumike (17) Brittney Sykes (8) Kristi Toliver (5) Staples Center
1,885
9–13
23August 22@ New York W 86–83 Erica Wheeler (17) Brittney Sykes (6) Nneka Ogwumike (6) Barclays Center
N/A
10–13
24August 24@ Washington L 68–78 Nia Coffey (15) Chiney Ogwumike (8) Toliver
Sykes (3)
Entertainment and Sports Arena
2,620
10–14
25August 26@ Connecticut L 72–76 Nia Coffey (18) Brittney Sykes (7) Erica Wheeler (9) Mohegan Sun Arena
3,702
10–15
26August 28@ Connecticut L 61–76 Erica Wheeler (15) Erica Wheeler (6) Erica Wheeler (7) Mohegan Sun Arena
4,434
10–16
27August 31@ Indiana L 72–74 Nneka Ogwumike (17) Brittney Sykes (5) Erica Wheeler (7) Indiana Farmers Coliseum
N/A
10–17
September : 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation
Attendance
Record
28September 2@ Minnesota L 57–66 N. Ogwumike
Wheeler (16)
Nneka Ogwumike (10) Erica Wheeler (7) Target Center
3,121
10–18
29September 9 Connecticut L 57–75 Coffey
N. Ogwumike (12)
Nneka Ogwumike (7) N. Ogwumike
Sykes
Wheeler (3)
Staples Center
1,695
10–19
30September 12 Seattle W 81–53 Te'a Cooper (19) Brittney Sykes (10) Erica Wheeler (4) Staples Center
4,181
11–19
31September 16@ Atlanta W 74–68 Brittney Sykes (17) Nneka Ogwumike (10) Erica Wheeler (4) Gateway Center Arena
2,537
12–19
32September 19@ Dallas L 84–87 Te'a Cooper (24) Nneka Ogwumike (10) Erica Wheeler (7) College Park Center
3,604
12–20
2021 season schedule

Standings

#Team W L PCT GB Conf. Home Road Cup
1xConnecticut Sun 266.81312–315–111–59–1
2xLas Vegas Aces 248.750211–413–311–56–4
3xMinnesota Lynx 2210.688410–513–39–77–3
4xSeattle Storm 2111.65659–611–510–68–2
5xPhoenix Mercury 1913.59476–97–912–45–5
6xChicago Sky 1616.5001010–56–1010–66–4
7xDallas Wings 1418.438127–87–97–93–7
8xNew York Liberty 1220.375146–97–95–115–5
9eWashington Mystics 1220.375147–88–84–124–6
10eLos Angeles Sparks 1220.375142–138–84–121–9
11eAtlanta Dream 824.250186–94–124–124–6
12eIndiana Fever 626.188204–114–122–142–8

Notes

(#) – League Standing
x – Clinched playoff berth
e – Eliminated from playoff contention
Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

Statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage 3P%  3-point field-goal percentage FT%  Free-throw percentage TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per gameTeam leaderLeague leader

Source: [36]

Regular Season

PlayerGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
Nneka Ogwumike 181831.753.236.780.06.52.71.40.314.5
Erica Wheeler 323230.241.735.582.73.14.81.30.313.6
Kristi Toliver 191927.641.433.784.21.42.90.70.09.4
Brittney Sykes 322029.340.526.277.24.62.21.80.59.4
Amanda Zahui B 302723.842.728.076.75.11.00.61.29.2
Te'a Cooper 311322.037.932.475.01.71.40.90.29.1
Nia Coffey 321725.242.141.777.83.80.90.81.28.3
Chiney Ogwumike 7319.140.875.075.04.11.10.90.47.0
Lauren Cox 15014.041.320.077.83.70.60.70.93.5
Arella Guirantes 25211.627.422.280.81.30.60.30.23.2
Jasmine Walker 2010.00.00.00.01.01.01.00.50.0
Maria Vadeeva 000.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.00.0

Awards and honors

RecipientAwardDate awardedRef.
Brittney Sykes WNBA All-Defensive First Team September 26 [37]
Nneka Ogwumike Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award October 3 [38]

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