Los Angeles Sparks appoint Lynne Roberts as new head coach

Roberts has 27 years of coaching experience, starting at Seattle Pacific as an assistant before moving on to head coaching roles at both Chico State and Pacific University, where she earned a Big West Coach of the Year honor in 2013. In 2015, she took on the head coaching role at Utah.

There, Roberts was known for her offensive mind, which ultimately propelled her Utes to three tournament berths (2022-2024) as well as a regular season Pac-12 championship in 2023, when Roberts was also named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year. The same year, Utah ranked as high as third in the AP Top 25 poll, and was in the top 10 for 10 straight weeks.

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“First and foremost, Lynne’s leadership and integrity stand out. 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,” general manager Raegan Pebley said in a press release issued by the Los Angeles Sparks on Tuesday. “We love how she maximized her talent at Utah in one of the nation’s strongest conferences. We are honored to welcome Lynne and her family to Los Angeles.”

Roberts has focused on high offensive efficiency at Utah, ranking first overall in field goal attempts, three point attempts, and peaking at second in overall offensive rating (they finished thirteenth in 2024.) She’ll join a squad that ranked last in the WNBA in offensive rating in 2024, and is looking to increase their strength from beyond the arc. The Sparks only shot 32% from the three point line in 2024, and had an effective field goal percentage of 47.8%, both tenth in the league. Only 27.6% of the team’s points came from three point range, compared to 39.9% of Roberts’ 2023-24 Utes — which ranked seventh of the 360 Division I women’s basketball programs.

The Sparks lost key three-point shooting in 2024 when Lexie Brown was sidelined due to her Crohn’s disease diagnosis. While the Sparks lack depth from beyond the arc, versatile guard players like Rickea Jackson and Rae Burrell increased their three-point shooting volume as the season went on. They will likely benefit from Roberts’ focus on pace of play. The return of Cameron Brink and veteran leadership from players like Dearica Hamby — who was constantly lauded by Curt Miller for her excellent motor — may also increase the Sparks’ productivity.

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In addition to matching the style of the Sparks’ more versatile, get-out-and-run players, Roberts is also no stranger to Sparks guard Aari McDonald or last year’s No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink, having facing them at Arizona and Stanford, respectively. After Sunday’s (somewhat surprising) news that the Sparks had landed another No. 2 overall pick in the upcoming WNBA Draft, it’s likely Brink will be joined by former teammate and Roberts’ Pac-12 foe Kiki Iriafen.

“I am honored to be named the next head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks,” Roberts said in the Sparks’ release. “I want to thank our ownership group for this incredible opportunity. From conversations with Eric Holoman and Reagan Pebley, it is evident that we share a like-minded commitment toward creating a winning culture and team. 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.”