The Los Angeles Sparks hired Lynne Roberts to be the 16th coach in franchise history, the team announced Tuesday.
Roberts joins the Sparks after nearly 20 years as a Division I coach, the last nine coming at Utah where she won Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023 and guided the Utes to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.
“First and foremost, Lynne’s leadership and integrity stand out,” Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley said in a statement. “Her ability to partner with players while creating a winning culture will translate as we continue our path toward championship contention. Lynne has a dynamic and forward-thinking offensive mind, and her up-tempo style fits perfectly with the way we want to play.”
Roberts is the second NCAA coach to jump to the WNBA during this hiring cycle, following Karl Smesko of Florida Gulf Coast, who the Atlanta Dream introduced earlier Tuesday. The Sparks and the Dream enlisted search firms — L.A. went with TurnkeyZRG and Atlanta used Korn Ferry — to find their coaches, and the processes produced similar outcomes.
Lynne Roberts named head coach of the LA Sparks. https://t.co/ZIRgZSNI9l pic.twitter.com/l9RjAsARpS
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) November 20, 2024
Roberts was well-regarded for her offensive imagination as the Utes coach. Her team ranked second in Division I in offensive rating over the last three seasons, third in effective field-goal percentage and fifth in total made 3-pointers. In The Athletic’s anonymous coaches poll, Roberts’ peers selected her as one of the best offensive game planners and a coach they didn’t want to face in the NCAA Tournament.
Unleashing the talents of the unconventional Alissa Pili became Roberts’ most high-profile accomplishment. Pili, an undersized forward, had been one of the most inefficient scorers in the country but became a bonafide offensive superstar after transferring to Utah. The Utes earned a share of the Pac-12 title in 2023 when they were one possession away from beating eventual national champion LSU in the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. Pili earned Pac-12 Player of the Year honors in 2023 and became a first-round WNBA draft pick in 2024.
Roberts has spent her entire career on the West Coast. A California native, she coached at Pacific and Chico State before making her way to Utah and is a natural fit for one of the WNBA’s oldest franchises. Her move to the league comes at a transition period for Utah, which joined the Big 12 in 2024-25 after the collapse of the Pac-12.
“I am honored to be named the next head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks,” Roberts said. “I want to thank our ownership group for this incredible opportunity. … The Sparks have a talented roster with tremendous upside, and we will compete tirelessly for WNBA championships.
“I believe Los Angeles should be the premier market in the WNBA, and I’m eager to partner with our players and front office to make this happen.”
The Sparks return a roster with many talented young players, including the No. 2 and No. 4 picks in the 2024 draft, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson, plus the second pick in the upcoming 2025 draft. They do not own the rights to their 2026 first-round pick and have missed the playoffs for four consecutive seasons, making it imperative for Roberts to lead a competitive team immediately.
Roberts is the fifth coach to be hired this offseason, joining Natalie Nakase in Golden State, Stephanie White in Indiana, Tyler Marsh in Chicago and Smesko. Openings remain in Washington, Connecticut and Dallas, where the Wings just won the lottery for the 2025 No. 1 pick.
Required reading
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- Why is it so hard to find a WNBA coach? The reasons behind the lack of candidates
(Photo: Darren Yamashita / Imagn Images)
