Sparks finalize 2025 Opening Day roster

LOS ANGELES -- On Thursday, the Los Angeles Sparks had to whittle down the roster to 12 players. They will open the season against the newest franchise of the WNBA, the Golden State Valkyries.  

The Sparks will open with this 12-woman roster.

It’s always heartbreaking to make multiple cuts to get to those 12. The cuts included: 

ANNELI MALEY (F, 6’1”): Australian who last played in the W with Chicago in 2022.

ALYSSA USTBY (G/F, 6’2”): Undrafted rookie from North Carolina.

LIATU KING (F, 6’0”): From Notre Dame. Selected in the third round of the 2025 Draft by the Sparks.

MASHA KLIUNDIKOVA (C, 6’4”): The former Maria Vadeeva was selected 11th overall by the Sparks in 2018. Last played in the W with the Sparks in 2019.

AARI McDONALD (G, 5’6”): In a surprise, McDonald was waived by the Sparks. She came to L.A. via the Jordin Canada trade last year and averaged 8.7 points and 3.7 assists in 26 games with the Sparks.

SHANEICE SWAIN (G, 5’9”): She was the last cut. The 21-year-old Aussie was picked early in the second round (14th overall) of the 2023 Draft. She’s still so young, though, so she might get another shot later whether it’s with L.A. or another team.

The Sparks will be running with this dozen to open the 2025 WNBA season.

DEARICA HAMBY (F, 6’3”, 11th year, #5): Hamby finished second in the Most Improved Player race last season as she averaged a career-best 17.3 points and 9.2 rebounds. The two-time 6th Player of the year is poised to have another big year as she is reunited with…

KELSEY PLUM (G, 5’8”, 8th year, #10): Plum came to Los Angeles from Las Vegas after the Sparks traded their #2 overall pick from this year’s draft in a three-way deal. The two-time champion and three-time all-star seems ready for a new chapter as she plays in the arena where she watched growing up.

RICKEA JACKSON (F, 6’2”, 2nd year, #2): Jackson is coming off an excellent rookie season. A three-level scorer and an improving defender, she could be taking her game to the next level in her sophomore year in the W.

AZURÁ STEVENS (F/C, 6’6”, 8th year, #23): The versatile Stevens started last season on the injured list but she’s healthy to start 2025. Her size and versatility helped Chicago win a championship in 2021. She came over to Los Angeles in 2023 in hopes of helping the Sparks get that elusive title.

CAMERON BRINK (F/C, 6’4”, 2nd year, #22): Her promising rookie season ended prematurely after an ACL tear in June. She won’t be ready until before the All-Star break but once she does, she can provide that defense the Sparks need inside. Plum called her a “Defensive Player of the Year waiting to brew.”

RAE BURRELL (G/F, 6’2”, 4th year, #12): A two-way player who longs for a bigger role on the team. Her role was up and down last season before starting the last seven games of the 2024 campaign. Her play in the winter three-on-three women’s league, Unrivaled, showed what she can do. Will it translate this season?

ODYSSEY SIMS (G, 5’8”, 12th year, #0): Sims went to the Sparks halfway through last season and averaged 9.8 points and 5.1 assists in 15 games with Los Angeles. An all-star in 2019, Sims still has a lot to give as she goes into her second tour of duty with the Sparks; she was in L.A. in 2017-18.

MERCEDES RUSSELL (C, 6’6”, 8th year, #21): Russell came over from Seattle as a free agent. She has seemingly seen it all as she won two championship rings in her stint with the Storm. As a young vet, she can definitely help guide the younger players with her experience.

JULIE ALLEMAND (G, 5’8”, 3rd year, #20): Allemand went to the Sparks last year as part of the Li Yueru trade with the Sky. She missed the 2024 campaign due to an ankle injury and will also miss the start of this season due to meniscus surgery. But the pass-first Belgian can help organize the offense when she’s back.

EMMA CANNON (F, 6’2”, 7th year, #32): Cannon has been around the league, including stops in Phoenix, Indiana, and Las Vegas. She started her WNBA career as a 28-year-old rookie and has been sort of the glue person everywhere she’s gone. Cannon will do the unappreciated work whether it’s doing non-box score plays or mentorship roles.

SARAH ASHLEE BARKER (G, 6’0”, rookie, #13): Selected 9th overall by the Sparks in April’s draft, Barker’s stock rose after scoring an exhilirating 45 points in her last game in college. She gives the Sparks some perimeter shooting and physical defense.

SANIA FEAGIN (F, 6’3”, rookie, #1): Feagin was selected in the second round (21st overall). She came from South Carolina so she has the pedigree from college. An excellent defender and has a lot of potential on both ends.

Here's a clip of Feagin learning that she made the team.

As far as last year's players that have moved on from Los Angeles?

LI YUERU (C, 6’7”): She was part of the Kelsey Plum trade. Li could have a big year as the starting center for the Seattle Storm.

CRYSTAL DANGERFIELD (G, 5’5”): The former Rookie of the Year award winner ended up playing 18 games for the Sparks last season after multiple 7-day contracts. She recently played in Turkey.

ZIA COOKE (G, 5’9”): Cooke ended up getting waived after two seasons in Los Angeles. The Storm picked her up and she made the final roster.

LEXIE BROWN (G, 5’9”): Brown got traded to the Storm for a 2025 second round pick (who turned out to be Sania Feagin) and a 2027 second round pick.

KIA NURSE (G, 6’0”): Nurse left L.A. after a season and signed with the Chicago Sky in the offseason.

STEPHANIE TALBOT (F, 6’2”): The Golden State Valkyries selected Talbot in the expansion draft last December.

LAYSHIA CLARENDON (G, 5’9”): Clarendon took a mental health break last August before retiring from the WNBA the following month. They are now part of the Golden State Valkyries broadcast team.

So the Sparks are ready to go with that roster. There will be tweaks here and there but the Sparks should be one of the more interesting teams in the league this year. 

An all-star reuniting with her championship teammate and joining young players teeming with potential? This could be something special.