LOS ANGELES -- The Sparks (15-26) will not make the playoffs for the sixth straight season. But the team still has a lot to celebrate.
Everyone knows that this has become a farewell tour for Nneka Ogwumike, who will retire after the 2026 season. But besides a game against the Portland Fire (16-26) on Sunday, the team will unveil the statue of Lisa Leslie at Star Plaza. Leslie led the Sparks to back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002 and is a Southern California icon.
"She's the original Spark, right?" Sparks coach Lynne Roberts said. "And I remember in high school, I grew up in Northern California... this was before the internet, sorry to age myself... and when she had scored 100 points in a high school game, I remember reading that in the paper and being like, just, you know, I think we're around the same age. That's when I was made aware of Lisa Leslie. It was just like wow. And then obviously, great career in college, and she's the original Spark, so it's cool that we... she's going to get a statue. You know, some may say it's about time, and so it's just, it's an honor to be a part of it, and what an ambassador she's been for this game and for women's basketball. And just such a personality in our sport, and knowing, you know, she's one of the original ones that put professional women's basketball on the map."
It will indeed be a special day for the Sparks. But a game still has to be played. The Sparks will attempt to sweep the season series against the Fire. They won the first two games against the team from a city that wants to keep themselves weird.
Of course, the upcoming retirement of Ogwumike looms large. And the team wants to honor her the right way.
"I want to see her have joy playing," Roberts said about the Sparks legend. "She's put in so much to this game, to this franchise. This season's been not what any of us expected for a myriad of reasons but Nneka's shown up the same way every day, and has been that leader of the same every day, competitor every day. So I'm hoping that we can give her opportunities to enjoy it, and I know she's being intentional with taking it in, you know, this kind of swan song down the stretch. So I want her to have fun. I want her to have joy at being out there."
"I'm finishing my rookie year with a legend," Sparks rookie guard Chance Gray excitedly pointed out. "So I just want to be successful for her the last couple games."
As for the Fire?
"Dynamic guards in Carla Leite and Bridget Carleton," Sparks guard Shyanne Sellers, who made her league debut on Thursday. "Really talented coach (Alex Sarama), Megan Gustafson, DiLeo now, I guess. But, yeah, this is a really talented young group. I think we kind of match each other's intensities, and we can find our group with them and just hopefully get a win."
Carleton could possibly be in the running for Most Improved Player as her scoring jumped up from 6.5 last year to 14.3 this season. But the Sparks also have a player that's taken it to another level.
"If you just look at it on paper, you can't deny it," Roberts said about Sparks wing Rae Burrell, whose scoring average jumped from 7.5 last year to 14.5 this year. "Her every aspect of her game is improved. The role that she has taken on for our team, particularly after (Kelsey Plum) left, you know, having to be that attacking player that can get to the hoop. Her shooting is really good (37 percent from three). You know, she's had a tremendous year."
Burrell might have to do more as Cameron Brink, Dearica Hamby, and Aaliyah Nye are all doubtful for Sunday's game. There is no doubt about the Fire being a young and talented team.
But with the statue reveal of Lisa Leslie and the retirement of Nneka Ogwumike right around the corner, the Sparks may be on fire themselves with legends watching them. No playoffs after this week but at the very least, they can send Ogwumike out the right way.