The Los Angeles Sparks fired head coach Lynne Roberts on Friday after falling short of the playoffs in both of her seasons with the team.
The Sparks concluded a 16-28 season with a 76-75 home loss to the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday night.
“We are grateful to Lynne for the commitment and determination she brought to the role, which was evident all the way through our last game last night,” Sparks special advisor Farhan Zaidi said. “Lynne has cared deeply about our organization and for our players and their development. We sincerely thank her for everything she has invested in the Sparks and wish her and her family the best moving forward.”
Roberts, 51, was 37-51 in two seasons with Los Angeles, her first head coaching job in the WNBA. She was a head coach in the collegiate ranks at Utah (2015-24), Pacific (2006-15) and Chico State (2002-06).
Roberts was asked about her future with the team prior to Thursday’s regular-season finale.
“I think we’ve had two tough years of injuries, and I’m not trying to blame anything on that, it’s just the reality,” she said, per ESPN. “There has been a lot of change. Our president’s been here … four months. So just again, so much change.”
The Sparks moved on from guard Kelsey Plum with a trade deadline deal to the Phoenix Mercury on Aug. 2 after she missed 12 games with a lingering lower leg injury. Plum played her last game with the Sparks on June 21 and Los Angeles had an 8-20 record through the remainder of the season.
Roberts inherited a team that finished 8-32 under predecessor Curt Miller in 2024. The Sparks have not made the playoffs since the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
–Field Level Media
