LOS ANGELES (May 15, 2022) – The Los Angeles Sparks announced today a one-year contract extension for 6-foot-3 wing Katie Lou Samuelson, keeping her with the Sparks through the 2023 season.
LA acquired Samuelson in a 2022 offseason trade with the Seattle Storm, sending Gabby Williams to Seattle in exchange for Samuelson and the No. 9 pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. In 2021, Samuelson averaged 7.0 points in 21.0 minutes per game, shooting 45.6% from the field and 35.1% on 3-pointers.
“We’re excited to have Katie Lou be an important part of our group moving forward,” General Manager/Head Coach Derek Fisher said. “Katie Lou is coming off her best season in the WNBA coupled with a strong overseas season in Spain. She can stretch the floor and guard multiple positions, and will be a great teammate and presence in our locker room.”
Samuelson recently finished playing for Avenida, Spain, where the team went to the Euroleague Final Four and then won the Spanish league championship. In Euroleague, she averaged 16.2 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, shooting 43.8% on 3-pointers.
“I’m very excited to be here in LA with such a great organization,” Samuelson said. “This is my home and I’ve grown up watching the Sparks my whole life. I’m happy I can be a part of the team for multiple seasons to continue building and growing on and off the court.”
Samuelson is from Huntington Beach, California and graduated from UConn. She was the No. 4 overall pick in the 2019 WNBA Draft.
ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES SPARKS
Founded in 1996, the Los Angeles Sparks are one of three original franchises in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Sparks have won three WNBA Championships (2001, 2002, 2016), have qualified for the playoffs in 20 of their 25 seasons and remain the only active team in the league to win back-to-back titles. The Los Angeles Sparks are dedicated to ensuring each home game at Crypto.com Arena has a championship level entertainment experience while showcasing the best female athletes from around the world on the court. LA Sparks 2022 season tickets are available here for purchase.
Contact: Corrie Hemry, Manager, Communications
chemry@la-sparks.com | (714) 461-8713