LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks have Nneka Ogwumike returning home this season. In this instance, a now-former Spark has decided to return to an old team of hers.
Forward Azurá Stevens has chosen to return to the Chicago Sky.
Breaking: Azurá Stevens has agreed to a three-year deal to return to the Chicago Sky, sources told ESPN.
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 11, 2026
The 6-foot-6 forward is coming off a career year with the Sparks, where she averaged 12.8 PPG, 38.1% 3PT, 8.0 RPG and 2.1 APG, finishing second in MIP voting pic.twitter.com/sdobPHHgI2
Stevens was part of that 2021 championship team in Chicago. She spent three years there; her last season there in 2022 saw her finish as a runner-up for Sixth Player of the Year. After that, she signed with the Sparks and spent three seasons in Los Angeles. Stevens then finished runner-up for Most Improved Player last season.
In a conversation with the Sporting Tribune in Sep. 2024, Stevens did say she liked helping teams rebuild. Chicago happens to be in that phase this season.
"We won (in Chicago) and it was cool to be part of the sort of the tail end of that but I wanted to be part of the sort of a rebuilding thing," Stevens said about why she went to Los Angeles. "That’s kind of what L.A. was pitching to me and they’re trying to get back to the old L.A. and I wanted to be a part of that."
She'll get that chance to be in a rebuild once again. And she'll be doing it in a city where she won a championship.
Stevens averaged 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting .358 from three in three seasons in Los Angeles. The Sparks will miss her versatility in the frontcourt.