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Los Angeles Sparks name Utah's Lynne Roberts as new head coach
The Los Angeles Sparks have a new head coach.
The Sparks named Utah women's basketball coach Lynne Roberts as their next head coach, succeeding Curt Miller, who mutually parted ways with the franchise in September after leading Los Angeles to a 25–55 record in two seasons.
“I am honored to be named the next head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks,” Roberts said in a statement on Tuesday. “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.”
Roberts boasts a decades-long resume as a collegiate women’s basketball head coach. She spent the past nine seasons at the helm of Utah's basketball program and led the Utes to three straight NCAA tournament berths, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2023, when she was named Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Roberts has also served as a head coach at Chico State (2002-06) and Pacific (2006-15), with a total collegiate head coaching record of 383-290.
“Lynne is an outstanding coach and leader,” Sparks Governor and Managing Partner Eric Holoman said in a statement. “We are thrilled to bring her decades of winning coaching experience to our organization. Through our comprehensive international search, Lynne’s modern view of basketball, her communication skills, and ability to build relationships made her the right choice for the role.”
The Sparks are relying on Roberts to guide the team back to the postseason. Los Angeles last won a WNBA championship in 2016 and have missed the playoffs the past three seasons with a dismal record of 38-78.
The Sparks have the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA draft. Los Angeles previously drafted Cameron Brink (Stanford) and WNBA All-rookie Rickea Jackson (Tennessee) with the No. 2 and No. 4 overall picks of the 2024 WNBA draft, respectively. Brink suffered a torn ACL in June, but is expected to return for the 2025 WNBA season.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Sparks name Utah's Lynne Roberts as new head coach
