The sparks named the long-standing University of Utah coach Lynne Roberts their new head coach, becoming the second WNBA team to tap a current college coach to lead their franchise.
Roberts, a Redding native, has 27 years of coaching experience. She has spent the last 18 years as a Division I coach, most recently working at Utah for nine seasons and earning 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors.
She inherits a squad that was hit hard by injuries last season while working to rebuild around young talent. Cameron Brinkthe No. 2 choice in the ranking 2024 WNBA Draftsuffered a torn ACL in June. Rickea Jacksonthe No. 4 pick in the 2024 draft, associated with the former star player of the Las Vegas Aces Dearica Hamby to help the Sparks navigate a difficult 2024 season that the franchise closed with an 8-24 overall record.
After missing the playoffs for a franchise-worst fourth consecutive season and setting losing records, the team fired coach Curt Miller and promised better results.
“Lynne is an exceptional coach and leader,” Sparks Governor and Managing Partner Eric Holoman said in a press release. “We are excited to bring his decades of winning coaching experience to our organization. Through our extensive international search, Lynne’s modern basketball outlook, communication skills and ability to build relationships made her the right choice for this position.
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Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley praised Roberts’ skills in creating a winning culture.
“Lynne has a dynamic, forward-thinking offensive mind, and her fast-paced style fits perfectly with how we want to play,” Pebley said. “We love how she has maximized her talent at Utah in one of the strongest conferences in the country. We are honored to welcome Lynne and her family to Los Angeles.
Roberts took over the Utah program in 2015, going 18-15 in his first year after the Utes went 9-21 the previous season. She led Utah to the Sweet 16 in 2023 after winning the Pac-12 regular season championship. His teams spent 40 consecutive weeks in the top 25. Average home attendance during Roberts’ tenure increased from 594 to 7,209 fans per game. At Utah, Roberts coached 2024 No. 8 overall draft pick Alissa Pili and 2019 third-round selection Megan Huff.
“I am honored to be named the next head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks,” said Roberts. “I want to thank our ownership group for this incredible opportunity. From conversations with Eric Holoman and Raegan Pebley, it’s evident that we share the same commitment to creating a winning culture and team. The Sparks have a talented team with tremendous potential, and we will relentlessly compete for WNBA championships. I believe Los Angeles should be the WNBA’s premier market, and I look forward to working with our players and front office to make that happen.
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Roberts’ basketball career began in Redding, where she was a guard for the Enterprise High basketball team. She was the North Section Player of the Year in 1993 before playing at Seattle Pacific University, setting a school record with 82 three-pointers in a season.
Roberts began her coaching career as a student assistant at Seattle Pacific while earning her master’s degree, serving as an assistant coach with the Falcons from 1997 to 2002. She later led Division II Chico State, posting a record 86-31. The Wildcats made the NCAA Tournament in all four seasons Roberts coached them, advancing to the Final Four in 2006.
From 2006 to 2015, Roberts led the Pacific Tigers, winning the 2013 Big West Coach of the Year, the 2012-13 regular season championship and WNIT bids in each of his last four seasons.
The Sparks learned earlier this week that they held the No. 2 overall pick. 2025 WNBA Drafthaving failed to secure the number 1 spot, they were favored to land in the lottery.
Roberts is the second current college coach to get a job in the WNBA, with Florida Gulf Coast coach Karl Smesko landing the Atlanta Dream job.
Washington, Connecticut and Dallas are still working to fill coaching vacancies.
This story was originally published in Los Angeles Times.
