Newest Sparks want to make the team title contenders again

Mercedes Russell said the quiet part out loud during the Sparks’ introductory news conference for her and fellow WNBA free-agent signings Emma Cannon and Odyssey Sims on Tuesday afternoon.

“Obviously, the basketball history in L.A. is deep … we’re going to be wanting to hang a banner,” Russell said. “We’re going to be wanting to win a championship.”

It’s an ambitious mentality for a team coming off the worst season in franchise history, but it’s one that Sparks GM Raegan Pebley has cultivated by reshaping the roster this offseason to complement their young core of Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, especially with the addition of two-time WNBA champion and three-time All-Star Kelsey Plum. On paper at least, the Sparks look primed for a return to relevance in 2025.

“One of the things that we really wanted to make sure that we targeted in our offseason was continuing to add to our culture,” Pebley said via video, “and making sure that we were bringing in pieces that were going to enhance our backcourt and very intentional pieces that we would add with our veteran leadership that we needed to have. … So we are thrilled to have the additions of these three and grateful that they’ve joined us.”





https://www.latimes.com/sports/sparks/story/2025-02-18/sparks-news-conference