Los Angeles Sparks

Cameron Brink's struggles continued Sunday as the Los Angeles Sparks lost to the Phoenix Mercury 87-68.

The rookie had just six points and four rebounds while dealing with foul trouble. The low-scoring performance marked her third consecutive showing with less than 10 points.

After back-to-back nights scoring 15 and 21 points, Brink seemed to be gaining her footing in late May. However, things haven't been quite as smooth lately.

After the loss, fans lamented her struggles and called for the Sparks to get her more involved on offense.

With the loss, the Sparks dropped to 2-6 on the season and are looking to turn things around soon. Perhaps running their offense through the top pick in the 2024 draft could be the adjustment they make to get back in the win column.

While Brink has struggled over the last few games, she has the entire season ahead of her to continue growing and getting comfortable in the WNBA. Just like most rookies, joining the professional ranks comes with an adjustment period, and Brink seems to still be learning the ropes.

Two of last season's biggest stars in college basketball faced off Thursday night as the Chicago Sky beat the Los Angeles Sparks 83-73.

While the game itself was exciting, the matchup between Angel Reese and Cameron Brink was somewhat disappointing as the two rookies struggled. Reese finished with six points while Brink had seven.

While neither rookie had the most impressive showing, Reese had back-to-back baskets in the final minutes that helped her team secure the win. Besides that stretch, she wasn't much of a factor throughout the game.

After the game, fans lamented a disappointing first matchup between the two promising rookies:

While Reese and Brink didn't have the most memorable games, there are still two more games between their respective teams this season and plenty of time for them to put on a show for fans.

Reese and Brink still developing as players, and Thursday's game showed they still have some work to do, but that's expected with any rookie. So far this season, Reese is averaging 12 points and 8.6 rebounds while Brink is averaging 9.5 points and 5.3 rebounds.

The WNBA is more popular than it has ever been, and the talented rookie class led by the likes of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Cameron Brink is a large reason.

However, Brink said during an appearance on Podcast P with Paul George presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment that she finds it hard to understand the league's rise in popularity because she believes it was warranted long ago.

"I'm not gonna lie, it's all been confusing, to be honest, it's like, why now?" Brink said at the 33:25 mark when asked about being a part of the resurgence of women's basketball.

Among other notable segments in the interview, Brink discussed making Kawhi Leonard laugh as well as growing up with Stephen Curry:

The Los Angeles Sparks forward also noted the deep history of WNBA stars, giving plenty of credit to the special WNBA draft classes that came before her 2024 group.

"It's just such a crazy shift and I'm not gonna lie, I'm like, better late than never. ... I think our draft class is special, but there's so many draft classes before us that have been just as talented," Brink said. "So I think it's just a change of the times."

Brink added that she has the utmost respect for the veterans who laid the foundation for her and the rest of the rookies to build upon during the 2024 season.

"It's all respect on my end and I hope they know that it's because of them that we're here now," she said.

Nneka Ogwumike will go down in history as a Sparks legend, but the former WNBA MVP will be leaving Los Angeles in free agency this winter, the team told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne on Wednesday.

Sparks managing partner and governor Eric Holoman wrote in a statement to ESPN:

I want to thank Nneka Ogwumike for 12 incredible seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks. Nneka has been a leader and changemaker for the Sparks, the city of Los Angeles, the WNBA, and women's sports. From drafting her No. 1 in 2012, to her game-winning shot in the 2016 WNBA Finals, her 2016 MVP trophy, and so many special memories, her legacy is cemented as one of the greatest to ever wear Purple & Gold.

Ogwumike also took the time to thank L.A. with a post on social media:

Ogwumike has spent her entire 12-year career with the Sparks, which selected her first overall in the 2012 WNBA draft out of Stanford. She felt it was best to inform the franchise of her decision to move on "as soon as possible so Los Angeles could adjust its offseason approach," according to Shelburne.

In addition to meeting with the Sparks, the 33-year-old has also met with the Atlanta Dream, Phoenix Mercury and Chicago Sky since the WNBA's free agent negotiating period opened on Sunday, per Shelburne.

Ogwumike also intends to meet with the Seattle Storm and New York Liberty before making a decision on her future, Shelburne added.

The Liberty would give Ogwumike perhaps her best chance at another WNBA title. The franchise reached the WNBA Finals last season for the first time since the 2002 campaign in part thanks to Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones and Breanna Stewart.

However, New York fell to the Aces in four games as Las Vegas went on to win its second straight WNBA title.

Ogwumike exits the Sparks ranking second in franchise history in games played (355), points (5,883) and field goals made (2,302). She also ranks first in franchise history in steals (549) and field goal percentage (54.5) and third in rebounds (2,679).

Ogwumike won the 2016 WNBA title with the Sparks and was also named the league's MVP that same year after averaging 19.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks in 33 games while shooting 66.5 percent from the floor.

She's coming off a 2023 season that saw her average 19.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 36 games while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor.

Ogwumike, like all of the WNBA's free agents, will be eligible to sign deals beginning Feb. 1.

Derek Fisher has found himself a new home.

The former New York Knicks and Los Angeles Sparks head coach has been hired as the head basketball coach at Crespi Carmelite High School in the Encino neighborhood of Los Angeles.

"We are honored and excited to welcome Coach Fisher to the Crespi Family," school athletic director Brian Bilek said statement, per ABC7.com. "Coach Fisher brings to Crespi his strong work ethic, leadership, and discipline that are rooted in his Christian faith."

Fisher brings plenty of star power with him to Crespi.

The 48-year-old was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996 NBA draft and he spent 13 of his 18 seasons with the Purple and Gold. He also played for the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks before retiring after the 2013-14 season.

Fisher was a key role player for the Lakers behind Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, helping the franchise capture five NBA titles in the early 2000s.

Following his playing career, Fisher was hired as head coach of the Knicks in 2014. He was fired by the franchise after compiling a 40-96 record across two seasons in New York.

Fisher then took his talents to the WNBA, coaching the Sparks from 2019-22, compiling a 54-46 record in that span.

Crespi High School competes in one of the most difficult leagues in California with schools like Sierra Canyon, the previous home of Bronny and Bryce James, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Harvard-Westlake.

Veteran forward Nneka Ogwumike has agreed to re-sign with the Los Angeles Sparks ahead of the 2023 campaign, the team announced Friday.

Terms of the deal were not released, though ESPN's M.A. Voepel reports it was for one year and $165,000.

Ogwumike said in a statement:

"I started in Los Angeles as a wide-eyed rookie hopeful to last and to lead in a city and with a franchise defined by its legends and legacy. Over the last 11 years, with champions and with challenges, my veteran vision remains clear and committed to what it truly means to play in this league, in THIS city, for 12 seasons, repping that iconic purple and gold."

Ogwumike has spent her entire career with the Sparks, which selected her first overall in the 2012 WNBA draft.

The Stanford product is coming off an impressive 2022 season in which she averaged 18.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals in 31 games while shooting 54.4 percent from the floor and 36.8 percent from deep.

The 32-year-old's performance last season earned her second-team All-WNBA honors and a seventh All-Star selection.

In addition to helping the Sparks win a WNBA title in 2016, she was also named the league's MVP that year after averaging 19.7 points, 9.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.2 blocks in 33 games.

With Ogwumike set to return to the Sparks, she'll join a retooled frontcourt that includes her sister, Chiney Ogwumike, Dearica Hamby and Azurá Stevens.

The Sparks have been somewhat vocal about entering a rebuild after hiring Curt Miller as head coach in October following back-to-back seasons without a playoff berth. So, unfortunately for Ogwumike, it's hard to envision L.A. being a title contender this year.

The Sparks open the 2023 season on May 19 against the Phoenix Mercury.

Chiney Ogwumike announced Wednesday she re-signed with the Los Angeles Sparks ahead of the 2023 WNBA season.

Ogwumike averaged 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 26 appearances with Los Angeles last season.

"Chiney is a key returning veteran for the Sparks," general manager Karen Bryant said in a statement. "We are grateful to have her continued leadership and frontcourt presence on our team."

The move comes as little surprise.

By getting traded to Los Angeles in 2019, Ogwumike not only joined her sister, Nneka, but she also found the most straightforward way to balance her ESPN broadcasting career with her WNBA career.

With Nneka reportedly heading back to the Sparks, they became the most obvious landing spot for Chiney.

In recent seasons, Los Angeles hasn't been able to get out of its own way.

A pair of franchise cornerstones, Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray, left and won titles elsewhere. Former head coach Derek Fisher was fired midway through last year to bring his forgettable tenure to an end after three-plus seasons. The Liz Cambage experiment was a disaster.

With Bryant taking over as GM and two-time Coach of the Year Curt Miller coming in, the Sparks are laying a more solid foundation for the future. Getting Chiney and presumably Nneka Ogwumike to re-sign represents a solid endorsement of the organization's vision.

Keeping Chiney became more important as the Sparks have seen their frontcourt depth put to the test.

The team already knew Dearica Hamby's status for 2023 was in flux because of her pregnancy when it acquired her from the Las Vegas Aces. Since then, however, L.A. saw Stephanie Talbot suffer a torn ACL and Katie Lou Samuelson announce her own pregnancy.

Ogwumike figures to be a key reserve in Miller's lineup.

The Los Angeles Sparks announced Sunday they signed Chinese guard Yang Liwei.

"We're excited to have the opportunity to bring Li to LA," general manager Karen Bryant said. "She adds quickness, athleticism and international experience to our current roster."

Should she make the final roster, Yang will be the second Chinese-born player to represent the Sparks after Zheng Haixia, who appeared in 34 games for L.A. in 1997 and 1998.

This past fall, Yang helped China collect a silver medal at the FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup. She had 18 points and four assists in the semifinals to help spur an upset of host Australia.

Across the tournament, the 5'9" guard averaged 9.3 points, 3.9 assists and 1.6 assists while shooting 46.5 percent overall and 50 percent from the perimeter.

The Sparks had a busy offseason, bringing Bryant aboard and hiring two-time Coach of the Year away from the Connecticut Sun. The pair haven't executed any transformational moves but have improved the roster enough to where Los Angeles should be a top-four contender.

Yang joins what is a crowded backcourt.

Chennedy Carter returns for what could be a pivotal year since she's due to be a restricted free agent in 2024. Lexie Brown and Jordin Canada both re-signed. Miller also traded for Jasmine Thomas, whom he coached for seven seasons in Connecticut.

Simply earning a roster spot could present Yang with a stiff challenge.

Jasmine Thomas is reuniting with head coach Curt Miller on the Los Angeles Sparks.

Khristina Williams of MSG Networks reported the Connecticut Sun traded Thomas and the No. 10 overall pick to the Los Angeles Sparks for Olivia Nelson-Ododa, Jasmine Walker and the rights to reserved free agent Kianna Smith.

Thomas was limited to five appearances in 2022 after suffering a torn ACL. The 2017 All-Star has averaged 9.6 points and 3.7 assists across her 12-year career.

This trade came after the Sun sent 2021 league MVP Jonquel Jones to the New York Liberty in a three-team swap.

Connecticut has made the playoffs for six straight years, a run that includes two WNBA Finals appearances. But the franchise appears to be pivoting in a new direction. Miller, Jones and Thomas were all key figures in that success, and now all three are gone in the space of one offseason.

A rebuild may have been inevitable considering Jones, Thomas and DeWanna Bonner are all free agents in 2024. Starting that process now could allow for the Sun to miss the postseason and fall into the lottery at an advantageous time. Connecticut's Paige Bueckers, Iowa's Caitlin Clark, Maryland's Angel Reese and Stanford's Cameron Brink headline a loaded 2024 WNBA draft class.

On the other side, the Sparks have both Jordin Canada and Kristi Toliver hitting unrestricted free agency. Canada was the team leader in assists (5.5 per game), while Toliver is a three-time All-Star who averaged 15.0 points and 7.9 assists per 100 possessions last year, per Basketball Reference.

Canada, 26, is the younger of the pair and a plus defender. Her inability to space the floor—16.8 percent on three-pointers in her five-year career—however has significantly limited her overall value. Toliver, who turns 36 this month, is nearing the end of her career and clearly no longer the dynamic offensive threat she was in her prime.

Acquiring Thomas allows for Los Angeles to effectively choose one or the other.

Her previous rapport with Miller should allow for her to make a seamless transition to the Sparks as well.

Liz Cambage announced in an Instagram post Monday that she will step away from the WNBA "for the time being" after leaving the Los Angeles Sparks.

She wrote:

"Playing for the Sparks was a dream come true and I'm honored to have shared the court with such amazing ladies for as long as we did. I'm sorry to have left abruptly and I wish it would have ended on a different note. I've decided to step away from the league for the time being and I'm hopeful that the WNBA will do their part in creating safer environments and a stronger support system for their players. While I'll miss rocking the purple and gold, I'll be taking this time to focus on my healing and personal growth before providing clarification on past rumors. Thank you to all my supporters, family and friends for all the love and light you continue to surround me with."

On July 26, Cambage terminated her deal with the Los Angeles Sparks.

"It is with support that we share Liz Cambage's decision to terminate her contract with the organization," Sparks managing partner Eric Holoman said in a statement. "We want what's best for Liz and have agreed to part ways amicably. The Sparks remain excited about our core group and are focused on our run towards a 2022 playoff berth."

After her departure, however, the team went 1-8 and was eliminated from postseason consideration. On the court, her loss was a big one—the four-time All-Star was averaging 13.0 points and 6.4 rebounds in 23.4 minutes per game across 25 contests.

But there were reports that within the locker room, Cambage's fit in Los Angeles was far rockier.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported before her Sparks departure that during film sessions, "sources say it was customary for Cambage to call out teammates, accusing them of looking her off and not targeting her. Teammates would counter that she's not sealing in the post and seldom gets back on defense when a turnover occurs. It was a conundrum that went unresolved."

After a blowout loss to the Las Vegas Aces on July 23, Haynes reported that Cambage stormed out of the locker room, telling teammates: "I can't do this anymore. Best of luck to you guys."

The 30-year-old has had an on-again, off-again relationship with the WNBA, skipping the 2012, 2014 to 2017, and 2020 seasons to play professionally overseas and for the Australian national team.

It's unclear if her cameo with the Sparks will be her final stint in the league.