2021 Los Angeles Sparks season

The 2021 WNBA season was the 25th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season tipped off on May 14, 2021, versus the Dallas Wings.^[1]

2021 Los Angeles Sparks season
Coach	Derek Fisher
Arena	Los Angeles Convention Center Staples Center
Attendance	1,221 per game
Results
Record	12–20 (.375)
Place	6th (Western)
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Team Leaders
Points	Nneka Ogwumike – 14.5 ppg
Rebounds	Nneka Ogwumike – 6.5 rpg
Assists	Erica Wheeler – 4.8 apg
Media
Television	Spectrum SportsNet ESPN2, CBSSN, NBATV
← 2020 season 2022 season →

The Sparks split time in two arenas during the 2021 season. They played at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May until July and then played at the Staples Center after the league took its Olympic break.^[2]

The Sparks started the season slowly, losing the first two games. However, they won the next two to finish May with a 2–2 record. June proved difficult, as the team couldn't sustain a winning streak, as wins were followed by two losses frequently. They finished June 4–7 and 6–9 overall. The Sparks went into the Olympic break on a low note when they lost all four games in July. After the break, a favorable schedule contributed to a four-game winning streak to begin the August schedule, with wins over Indiana and Atlanta who finished in the bottom two of the final regular season standings. Once the winning streak ended, the Sparks lost six straight games to slide to 10–19 going into the final three games of the season. Despite winning two of the last three, a final day loss meant the Sparks finished outside the playoff places with a 12–20 overall record.

Transactions

WNBA draft

See also: 2021 WNBA draft

Round	Pick	Player	Nationality	School/Team/Country
1	7	Jasmine Walker	United States	Alabama
1	10	Stephanie Watts	United States	North Carolina
2	22	Arella Guirantes	Puerto Rico	Rutgers
3	28	Ivana Raca	Serbia	Wake Forest
3	34	Aina Ayuso	Spain	Casademont Zaragoza (Spain)

Trades/Roster Changes

Date	Details
December 31, 2020	Renounced rights to G Ángela Salvadores[3]
January 6, 2021	Extended Qualifying Offers to G Brittney Sykes and C Marianna Tolo[4]
January 7, 2021	Extended Qualifying Offer to G Te'a Cooper[5]
January 11, 2021	Re-Signed G Te'a Cooper[6]
January 13, 2021	Cored F Nneka Ogwumike[7]
February 2, 2021	Signed G Erica Wheeler[8]
February 8, 2021	Re-Signed G Brittney Sykes[9]
February 11, 2021	Signed C Amanda Zahui B.[10]
February 19, 2021	Signed G Bria Holmes[11]
February 22, 2021	Re-Signed G/F Seimone Augustus[12]
February 25, 2021	Re-Signed F/C Chiney Ogwumike[13]
March 2, 2021	Re-Signed F Nneka Ogwumike[14]
March 4, 2021	Signed G Nia Coffey to a Training Camp Contract[15]
March 16, 2021	Waived C Marie Gülich[16]
April 14, 2021	Acquired the 7th pick in the 2021 WNBA draft and Dallas's 2md Round pick in the 2022 WNBA draft in exchange for the Sparks' 2022 1st Round pick.[17]
April 18, 2021	Waived G Tierra Ruffin-Pratt[18]
April 19, 2021	Signed G Stephanie Watts to a Rookie Scale Contract[19]
April 20, 2021	Signed F Jasmine Walker to a Rookie Scale Contract[20]
May 6, 2021	Signed G Arella Guirantes to a Rookie Scale Contract[21]
May 9, 2021	Traded G Stephanie Watts and the rights to G Leonie Fiebich to Chicago in exchange for G/F Gabby Williams[22]
May 13, 2021	G Seimone Augustus retires and is named an Assistant Coach[23]
	Traded G Sydney Wiese to Washington in exchange for a 2022 2nd Round Pick.[24]
	Waived F Kristine Anigwe.[25]
	Temporarily Suspend C Maria Vadeeva.[26]
May 14, 2021	Signed G/F Gabby Williams to a Contract Extension[27]
June 4, 2021	Signed G Karlie Samuelson and C Kristine Anigwe to Hardship Contracts[28]
June 28, 2021	Released C Kristine Anigwe from the Hardship Contract and Waived G Bria Holmes[29]
June 29, 2021	Released G Karlie Samuelson from the Hardship Contract[30]
June 30, 2021	Signed C Lauren Cox[31]
	Signed G Karlie Samuelson to a Hardship Contract[32]
	Signed G Bria Holmes to a Hardship Contract[33]
August 3, 2021	Terminated the Hardship Contracts of Bria Holmes and Karlie Samuelson[34]
	Signed G Karlie Samuelson to a 7-Day Contract[35]

Roster

2021 Los Angeles Sparks roster
Players	Coaches
Pos. No. Nat. Name Height Weight DOB From Yrs F 12 Coffey, Nia 6' 1" (1.85m) 182 lb (83kg) 1995-06-11 Northwestern 4 G 2 Cooper, Te'a 5' 8" (1.73m) 160 lb (73kg) 1997-04-16 Baylor 1 F 13 Cox, Lauren 6' 4" (1.93m) 205 lb (93kg) 1998-04-20 Baylor 1 G 22 Guirantes, Arella 5' 11" (1.8m) 165 lb (75kg) 1997-10-15 Rutgers R F 30 Ogwumike, Nneka 6' 2" (1.88m) 174 lb (79kg) 1990-07-02 Stanford 9 F/C 31 Ogwumike, Chiney 6' 3" (1.91m) 183 lb (83kg) 1992-03-21 Stanford 4 G 15 Sykes, Brittney 5' 9" (1.75m) 154 lb (70kg) 1994-02-07 Syracuse 4 G 20 Toliver, Kristi 5' 7" (1.7m) 130 lb (59kg) 1987-01-27 Maryland 11 C 7 Vadeeva, Maria (S) 6' 4" (1.93m) 185 lb (84kg) 1998-07-16 Russia 2 F 40 Walker, Jasmine  6' 3" (1.91m) 182 lb (83kg) 1998-02-03 Alabama R G 17 Wheeler, Erica 5' 7" (1.7m) 143 lb (65kg) 1991-05-02 Rutgers 5 C 1 Zahui B., Amanda 6' 5" (1.96m) 184 lb (83kg) 1993-09-08 Minnesota 6	Head coach Derek Fisher (Little Rock) Assistant coaches Latricia Trammell (East Central) Fred Williams (Boise State) Seimone Augustus (LSU) Athletic trainer Courtney Watson (California) Strength and conditioning coach Kelly Dormandy (Springfield) Legend (C) Team captain (DP) Unsigned draft pick (FA) Free agent (S) Suspended Injured

Game log

Preseason

2021 pre-season game log
May: 1–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–0) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 May 2 @ Las Vegas W 80–71 Scrimmage Michelob Ultra Arena No Fans 1–0 2 May 8 Las Vegas T 85–85 Jasmine Walker (23) Jasmine Walker (9) Wheeler Cooper (5) Los Angeles Convention Center No Fans 1–0–1
2021 pre-season schedule

Regular season

2021 game log Total: 12–20 (Home: 8–8; Road: 4–12)
May: 2–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 2–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 1 May 14 Dallas L 71–94 Nneka Ogwumike (18) Nneka Ogwumike (8) Brittney Sykes (3) Los Angeles Convention Center No Fans 0–1 2 May 21 @ Las Vegas 69–97 Nneka Ogwumike (19) Guirantes C. Ogwumike N. Ogwumike (5) Kristi Toliver (5) Michelob Ultra Arena 1,972 0–2 3 May 28 @ Chicago W 76–61 Nneka Ogwumike (14) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Erica Wheeler (6) Wintrust Arena 1,124 1–2 4 May 30 @ Chicago W 82–79 Nneka Ogwumike (21) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Erica Wheeler (7) Wintrust Arena 1,124 2–2
June : 4–7 (Home: 4–3; Road: 0–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 5 June 1 @ Dallas L 69–79 Kristi Toliver (14) Nia Coffey (6) Te'a Cooper (4) College Park Center 1,372 2–3 6 June 3 Indiana W 98–63 Kristi Toliver (22) Holmes Zahui B (7) Erica Wheeler (5) Los Angeles Convention Center 301 3–3 7 June 5 Chicago W 68–63 Erica Wheeler (22) Amanda Zahui B (10) Erica Wheeler (5) Los Angeles Convention Center 430 4–3 8 June 10 @ Washington L 71–89 Te'a Cooper (11) Kristine Anigwe (9) Erica Wheeler (4) Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100 4–4 9 June 12 @ Minnesota L 64–80 Te'a Cooper (17) Amanda Zahui B (8) Kristi Toliver (5) Target Center 2,203 4–5 10 June 16 Phoenix W 85–80 Erica Wheeler (18) Brittney Sykes (9) Erica Wheeler (10) Los Angeles Convention Center 514 5–5 11 June 18 Phoenix L 66–80 Erica Wheeler (17) Amanda Zahui B (6) Toliver Wheeler (2) Los Angeles Convention Center 520 5–6 12 June 20 New York L 73–76 Erica Wheeler (20) Erica Wheeler (6) Erica Wheeler (10) Los Angeles Convention Center 731 5–7 13 June 24 Washington W 89–82 Te'a Cooper (26) Amanda Zahui B (5) Te'a Cooper (4) Los Angeles Convention Center 520 6–7 14 June 26 @ Phoenix L 79–88 Erica Wheeler (21) Kristine Anigwe (9) Sykes Wheeler (4) Phoenix Suns Arena 6–8 15 June 30 Las Vegas L 75–99 Amanda Zahui B (22) Amanda Zahui B (9) Cooper Wheeler (3) Los Angeles Convention Center 746 6–9
July : 0–4 (Home: 0–3; Road: 0–1) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 16 July 2 Las Vegas L 58–66 Erica Wheeler (15) Amanda Zahui B (12) Erica Wheeler (5) Los Angeles Convention Center 959 6–10 17 July 4 Seattle L 74–84 Sykes Wheeler (19) Brittney Sykes (10) Sykes Wheeler (5) Los Angeles Convention Center 716 6–11 18 July 7 @ Seattle L 62–71 Erica Wheeler (22) Amanda Zahui B (9) Erica Wheeler (3) Angel of the Winds Arena 2,730 6–12 19 July 11 Minnesota L 61–86 Sykes Wheeler (14) Lauren Cox (8) Erica Wheeler (6) Los Angeles Convention Center 892 6–13
August : 4–4 (Home: 3–0; Road: 1–4) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 20 August 15 Indiana W 75–70 Brittney Sykes (16) Amanda Zahui B (9) Toliver Wheeler (6) Staples Center 2,029 7–13 21 August 17 Atlanta W 85–80 (OT) Brittney Sykes (17) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Nneka Ogwumike (9) Staples Center 2,200 8–13 22 August 19 Atlanta W 66–64 Nneka Ogwumike (17) Brittney Sykes (8) Kristi Toliver (5) Staples Center 1,885 9–13 23 August 22 @ New York W 86–83 Erica Wheeler (17) Brittney Sykes (6) Nneka Ogwumike (6) Barclays Center N/A 10–13 24 August 24 @ Washington L 68–78 Nia Coffey (15) Chiney Ogwumike (8) Toliver Sykes (3) Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,620 10–14 25 August 26 @ Connecticut L 72–76 Nia Coffey (18) Brittney Sykes (7) Erica Wheeler (9) Mohegan Sun Arena 3,702 10–15 26 August 28 @ Connecticut L 61–76 Erica Wheeler (15) Erica Wheeler (6) Erica Wheeler (7) Mohegan Sun Arena 4,434 10–16 27 August 31 @ Indiana L 72–74 Nneka Ogwumike (17) Brittney Sykes (5) Erica Wheeler (7) Indiana Farmers Coliseum N/A 10–17
September : 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2) Game Date Team Score High points High rebounds High assists Location Attendance Record 28 September 2 @ Minnesota L 57–66 N. Ogwumike Wheeler (16) Nneka Ogwumike (10) Erica Wheeler (7) Target Center 3,121 10–18 29 September 9 Connecticut L 57–75 Coffey N. Ogwumike (12) Nneka Ogwumike (7) N. Ogwumike Sykes Wheeler (3) Staples Center 1,695 10–19 30 September 12 Seattle W 81–53 Te'a Cooper (19) Brittney Sykes (10) Erica Wheeler (4) Staples Center 4,181 11–19 31 September 16 @ Atlanta W 74–68 Brittney Sykes (17) Nneka Ogwumike (10) Erica Wheeler (4) Gateway Center Arena 2,537 12–19 32 September 19 @ Dallas L 84–87 Te'a Cooper (24) Nneka Ogwumike (10) Erica Wheeler (7) College Park Center 3,604 12–20
2021 season schedule

Standings

#	Team	W	L	PCT	GB	Conf.	Home	Road	Cup
1	x – Connecticut Sun	26	6	.813	–	12–3	15–1	11–5	9–1
2	x – Las Vegas Aces	24	8	.750	2	11–4	13–3	11–5	6–4
3	x – Minnesota Lynx	22	10	.688	4	10–5	13–3	9–7	7–3
4	x – Seattle Storm	21	11	.656	5	9–6	11–5	10–6	8–2
5	x – Phoenix Mercury	19	13	.594	7	6–9	7–9	12–4	5–5
6	x – Chicago Sky	16	16	.500	10	10–5	6–10	10–6	6–4
7	x – Dallas Wings	14	18	.438	12	7–8	7–9	7–9	3–7
8	x – New York Liberty	12	20	.375	14	6–9	7–9	5–11	5–5
9	e – Washington Mystics	12	20	.375	14	7–8	8–8	4–12	4–6
10	e – Los Angeles Sparks	12	20	.375	14	2–13	8–8	4–12	1–9
11	e – Atlanta Dream	8	24	.250	18	6–9	4–12	4–12	4–6
12	e – Indiana Fever	6	26	.188	20	4–11	4–12	2–14	2–8

• v
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• e

Notes

(#) – League Standing

x – Clinched playoff berth

e – Eliminated from playoff contention

Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game
FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage	TO	Turnovers per game
PF	Fouls per game		Team leader		League leader

Source:^[36]

Regular Season

Player	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
Nneka Ogwumike	18	18	31.7	53.2	36.7	80.0	6.5	2.7	1.4	0.3	14.5
Erica Wheeler	32	32	30.2	41.7	35.5	82.7	3.1	4.8	1.3	0.3	13.6
Kristi Toliver	19	19	27.6	41.4	33.7	84.2	1.4	2.9	0.7	0.0	9.4
Brittney Sykes	32	20	29.3	40.5	26.2	77.2	4.6	2.2	1.8	0.5	9.4
Amanda Zahui B	30	27	23.8	42.7	28.0	76.7	5.1	1.0	0.6	1.2	9.2
Te'a Cooper	31	13	22.0	37.9	32.4	75.0	1.7	1.4	0.9	0.2	9.1
Nia Coffey	32	17	25.2	42.1	41.7	77.8	3.8	0.9	0.8	1.2	8.3
Chiney Ogwumike	7	3	19.1	40.8	75.0	75.0	4.1	1.1	0.9	0.4	7.0
Lauren Cox	15	0	14.0	41.3	20.0	77.8	3.7	0.6	0.7	0.9	3.5
Arella Guirantes	25	2	11.6	27.4	22.2	80.8	1.3	0.6	0.3	0.2	3.2
Jasmine Walker	2	0	10.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	1.0	0.5	0.0
Maria Vadeeva	0	0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Awards and honors

Recipient	Award	Date awarded	Ref.
Brittney Sykes	WNBA All-Defensive First Team	September 26	[37]
Nneka Ogwumike	Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award	October 3	[38]