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The LA Sparks are set to hold male practice player tryouts next month to help them prepare for the next WNBA season. Fans shared their varying reactions on social media.
Set for April 12 at the El Camino College, a community college in Los Angeles Country, the tryouts are meant to find male players who are athletic and skilled enough to give the Sparks varying looks and challenges during training to shore up their game.
Such a setting is not necessarily new as the Sparks have done it in the past as well as some other teams.
Still, fans gave their opinions on X (formerly Twitter).
“Cameron Brink tryna post up the local mailman,” one fan envisioned how things going in the tryouts.
“Can I ask why?” a user wondered.
“Man what the hell is the point of this? another laid down.
“This can’t be real. Ain’t it a female group?” a fan wrote.
“A lot of dudes are going to get humbled hard,” a comment asserted.
“If this is real, lot of dudes about to be embarrassed,” one pointed out.
“Its nothing new college and other teams been doing it. Practice against bigger, taller, stronger opponents in attempt to make your team better,” one fan explained.
The LA Sparks are looking to bounce back after another rough campaign last season where they ended at the bottom of the standings with a franchise-worst 8-32 record and missed the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
Kelsey Plum looks to lead LA Sparks back to steady competitiveness
As they try to get back to steady competitiveness beginning next season, the LA Sparks will turn to new player Kelsey Plum to help them in their cause.
The player was acquired in a three-team deal, which also involved the Las Vegas Aces and Seattle Storm this offseason. Plum, a two-time WNBA champion with the Aces will try to infuse the winning mentality to the Sparks to be able to compete on a better footing and steadily make their way back to being league contenders again.
“For someone like me, it’s just a perfect mix of preparation and opportunity,” Plum said of playing for the Sparks. “I’ve been chomping at the bit to get the opportunity to be able to lead and show who I am as a player on a different scale. And so just really excited about that, and I’ve never been more ready.”
With the LA Sparks, Plum reunites with former teammate and fellow All-Star Dearica Hamby, who she won a WNBA title with in 2022 with the Aces. She will also be working alongside rising stars Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson.
Edited by Dipayan Moitra