July 24, 2024
Why Sparks fans should be hopeful, by the numbers
By Cameron Ruby
The second half of the season will be fun
If you’re a Los Angeles Sparks fan, you might be feeling a little down in the dumps. After all, the team is sitting at 6-18, bottom three in the league. But as they head to the Olympic break (or the Olympics, in the case of some players), there are a few things fans can feel good about. There is light! The second half of the season will be fun!
Continue reading with a subscription to The Next
Get unlimited access to women’s basketball coverage and help support our hardworking staff of writers, editors, and photographers by subscribing today.
Already a member?
Login
Sparks head coach Curt Miller told reporters on July 5, “Wins and losses take care of themselves. We’ve got to worry about the process and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
Introducing Shelly Bean the Sports Queen!
Did you know that less than 2% of children’s books published each year have a female character who is physically active?
The “Shelly Bean the Sports Queen” series is the perfect inspiration for the children in your life. Action, bright colors and representation in every story! Use code 2024 for 10 percent off!
Here are a few numbers to back up the Sparks’ process:
Four: The number of Olympians the Sparks have. Dearica Hamby (USA 3-on-3), Kia Nurse (Canada), Stephanie Talbot (Australia) and Li Yueru (China) will all be competing — and two of them are on teams considered to be medal contenders from the jump, in Hamby and Talbot. While this is not the most Olympians on a single WNBA roster, it’s significant for a team that’s had struggles this season.
Eight: Azura Stevens’ plus-minus since injury. It doesn’t sound significant, necessarily, but this can’t be said for any other Spark who has played more than 13 total minutes in yellow and purple this season. Stevens is back (no but like, actually back). In her four games post-injury, the center has shot 51.2% from the floor. She’s averaging 14.8 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.5 blocks. A true breath of fresh air.
72.4%: The Sparks’ percentage of assisted baskets this year. It’s the most in program history and fourth in the league — which shouldn’t come as a surprise if you’ve watched L.A. share the ball this year. The team is nothing if not unselfish (sometimes to its own detriment). And the rookies are learning fast: Forward Rickea Jackson increased her assist ratio from 2.8% in May to 18% in July, demonstrating a major shift in her playing style as she adjusts to the rhythm of the WNBA.
The Next, a 24/7/365 women’s basketball newsroom
The Next: A basketball newsroom brought to you by The IX. 24/7/365 women’s basketball coverage, written, edited and photographed by our young, diverse staff and dedicated to breaking news, analysis, historical deep dives and projections about the game we love.
Ten: Number of Sparks who have started a game this season. Since shifting into the starting lineup, fourth-year point guard Aari McDonald has increased her production from 3.1 assists per game to 5.1 assists. Despite Hamby being the team’s leading scorer in 14 of their 24 games, the Sparks benefit from young players eager to step up and share the ball. Take Rae Burrell, who averaged 2.3 points and six minutes per game in May, but 20.6 minutes and seven points in July.
Zero: The number of categories on the WNBA homepage where the Sparks rank in the top five. But, like I said, bright spots! Hamby is top 10 in scoring across the league, with 19.2 points per game and 10 rebounds. She’s one of four players to average a double-double this season.
She and Stevens are shooting 40% and 53% from 3, respectively, positioning them as inside-out threats at their position. The more they’re both on the floor, the stronger the Sparks can become. And Stevens has been back only four games — we’ve got a whole half season of “Z” ahead of us.
67.8%: The percent increase in attendance at Crypto.com Arena this year. We’ve got 16 games to go — and the Sparks will get eight of them at home, in front of a crowd that has, on average, 10,993 fans, putting them at fourth in the league and a far cry from last year’s 6,553.
As the Sparks continue to reestablish themselves and rebuild, this is perhaps the most encouraging data point. Women’s basketball is picking up steam in Los Angeles.
Stathead Stat of the Week
Breanna Stewart had 54 rebounds in the five games of the WNBA Finals. Only two players have had more in a WNBA Finals.
Stathead is your all-access pass to the Basketball and College Basketball Reference databases. Our discovery tools are built for women’s basketball fans like you. Answer your questions in a matter of seconds.
Written by Cameron Ruby
Cameron Ruby has been a contributing writer for The Next since April 2023. She is a Bay Area native currently living in Los Angeles.
