Bleav in Sparks

Soon after being drafted No. 1 overall in 2012, Nneka Ogwumike signed an endorsement deal with Nike. 2016 was a phenomenal year for Nneka…she won a championship, was named MVP and she was elected President of the WNBA Players Association…a title she continues to hold today.

Chiney Ogwumike opted out of the 2020 season because she felt the compacted schedule in the league's bubble wouldn't be the best for her physically, given past injuries that cost her the 2015 and 2017 seasons. The move paid off as Chiney signed a multi-year deal to stay in LA with her older sister, Nneka.

Four-time WNBA Champion Seimone Augustus has one of the most prolific basketball careers in professional basketball history. She ranks tenth in scoring in WNBA history with 2005 points, and has averaged over 15 points throughout her career. We’re excited she’s continuing her storied career in Los Angeles!

On this episode: newest member of the Sparks is 6-foot-3 Bria Holmes. She's a true competitor who puts pressure on the rim, defends with intensity, and provides youth, size, and athleticism as both a shooting guard and small forward.

The Los Angeles Sparks signed 6’5” center Amanda Zahui B. The former No. 2 Overall Pick spent 5 seasons with the New York Liberty and averaged 9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, while shooting 34% from 3-point range. AZB’s length and range are a massive asset to the Sparks.

Our guest on this episode is a former Syracuse University star, the 7th overall pick in the 2017 draft who made the all-rookie team. She’s a great teammate, a workhorse, a chef and an overall dope human. Brittney “Slim” Sykes is back with the Sparks in 2021!

On this episode, former Indiana Fever guard, Erica Wheeler was undrafted out of Rutgers, yet she reached 1,000 points and 500 assists is less than five seasons, and earned the 2019 All-Star Game MVP. She shares part of her basketball journey, experiencing covid and what it means to use her voice.

On this episode, we discuss free agency moves, including two veteran Sparks players relocating: Candace Parker goes to Chicago and Chelsea Gray chooses Las Vegas. USA Basketball camp starts next week and Sydney is one of only 19 players invited.

On this episode our guest is editor-in-chief of The Next and founder of the women’s sports newsletter The IX, Howard Megdal. Howard shares when and why women’s basketball became important to him to cover. His contributions in storytelling continue to illuminate women’s basketball in powerful ways.

Te'a Cooper's story is inspirational. She was drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in 2020 and was cut due to the pandemic. She stayed hopeful and ready, so when her name was called by the Sparks, Te'a went to work. She appeared in 20 regular season games, averaging 7 points and 2 assists in 17.3 minutes...good for Top 10 among rookies in points and assists. On the defensive end, Cooper quickly earned a reputation for her stifling pressure defense.