WNBA: How Kelsey Plum and a new coach can revitalize the LA Sparks

It’s a new year and a different era for the Los Angeles Sparks as Lynne Roberts has taken her talents from the Utah Utes to the WNBA, becoming the 13th coach in franchise history.

Roberts isn’t the only big change for Los Angeles. Kelsey Plum was acquired via a three-team trade to give the team a certified All-Star guard who will solidify their backcourt. By adding Plum to the young core featuring Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson and Rae Burrell, along with All-Star Dearica Hamby, the hope is that LA can finally return to postseason contention in 2025.

Here are the three keys to the Sparks’ season:

The chemistry between Plum and Hamby

In the immediate future, the Sparks will only go as far as the Plum-Hamby tandem takes them. These two did play with each other for five seasons as part of the San Antonio Stars/Las Vegas Aces, but, back then, neither player had reached their current, higher level of play nor had the role or usage they now have.

Last year, no guard could consistently be a threat offensively for the Sparks, and many times the backcourt struggled to feed Hamby the ball in the spots she wanted. Despite these challenges, Hamby averaged 17.3 points and 9.2 rebounds a night, started every game and made the All-Star team. Combining her talent with that of Plum, who also was an All-Star in 2024 and averaged 17.8 points and shot 36 percent from 3-point range, is a tantalizing proposition.

If they can work well in the pick and roll and be an elite inside-outside threat, Los Angeles will have a chance of returning to glory sooner rather than later.

The return of Cameron Brink

While the Plum-Hamby pairing is the most important aspect of 2025, Brink is the future. She was on her way to an elite rookie season in 2024 before an ACL tear cut her season short. Already, Brink was a starter, an elite rim protector and beginning to find her footing as a scorer in the WNBA.

She is still rehabbing her injury, but there is optimism that she’ll return right before the All-Star break in June.

Brink returning and showing she is healthy matters even more than current victories. So, until she is back, her return to the court will be something all Sparks fans will be waiting for.

Is Lynne Roberts the one?

The Sparks have had five coaches in five seasons now, and the question is: Will Roberts finally be the coach to right the ship?

It’s a gamble going with a first-year WNBA coach, and this team is still far from legitimate contention. How patient will the organization? How much time will she get to establish things? Curt Miller, a well-liked coach with tremendous success in this league, only got two seasons before he was gone. One has to wonder if the clock is already ticking for Roberts—before she even coaches her first game.

She must also show that her basketball acumen and development can translate to the professional game. Like any other rookie, the promise and optimism are there, but it’ll come down to results and execution.

Things could begin trending up if the Sparks finally found the right partner. If not, then this rebuild will go on for a few more years, and that’s something I’m not sure LA fans are prepared for.