The Los Angeles Sparks recently announcement changes to their coaching staff for the upcoming 2026 season, with both returning and new faces. Second-year head coach Lynne Roberts returns to the Sparks alongside Zak Buncik, as the team welcomes Ebony Hoffman and Zach O’Brien.
Buncik looks to continue his impact
Zak Buncik joined the Sparks in 2025 as assistant coach, having previously played various positions for the Dallas Wings over the previous three seasons.
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Since last season, Buncik has brought a decade of coaching experienceincluding as an assistant coach at the University of Texas-Arlington and as an off-season WNBA coach. Before his hiring in Los Angeles, he coached the Sparks team. Dearica Hamby And Rae Burrell during the inaugural season of Unrivaled.
Buncik played an integral role in the development of the Sparks, who finished the 2025 WNBA season with a 21-23 record, winning 12 more games than the previous season, showing that fans can expect considerable improvement.
Sparks taps former WNBA Hoffman
Joining Buncik’s expertise is Ebony Hoffman, a former WNBA player with the Indiana Fever, Connecticut Sun and Los Angeles Sparks who has a total of 11 seasons under her belt.
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Hoffman returns to Los Angeles as an assistant coach after coaching with the Seattle Storm for the past three seasons.
In a statement Posted by the Sparks, Hoffman says she is “incredibly excited to join coach Lynne Roberts’ team” and that “(Roberts’) vision for where this team can go is electrifying, and I’m excited to get to work honoring the legacy and championship standards of this organization.”
Hoffman previously earned the WNBA Most Improved Player honor in 2008 and was a three-time All-Pac-10 Conference honoree during her collegiate career at the University of Southern California.
What will Zach O’Brien’s previous success mean for the Sparks?
Last but not least, the Sparks are bringing in Zach O’Brien.
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O’Brien joins the Sparks after being a member of Sandy BrondelloThe coaching staff for the New York Liberty’s 2024 championship season. Prior to the Liberty, he served as director of player development for the Phoenix Mercury.
O’Brien returns to the West Coast with a wealth of coaching experience that will no doubt stand the Sparks in good stead. Known for his careful approach, he will help the Sparks thrive and continue to build on their success from last season.
O’Brien is also set to become head coach of the Mist Basketball Club during the 2026 season. Unrivaled season
Roberts is excited about the new additions to the team, saying “Ebony and Zach bring complementary strengths, shared values and a deep understanding of today’s WNBA. Along with our returning team, they are a unified group, prepared, innovative and aligned around building a culture in which our players can thrive. I am incredibly excited about the direction we are taking and the standard this team will set for the season 2026.”
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Alongside the ongoing construction of their new training and practice centerThese coaching changes set the Sparks up for the success they’ve long awaited.
The Sparks hope the addition of Hoffman and O’Brien will help strengthen the franchise’s commitment to player development, culture building and competitive excellence.
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