LOS ANGELES (April 26, 2023) – The Los Angeles Sparks, led by Head Coach Curt Miller, open training camp on April 30 at El Camino College in Torrance, CA.
The Sparks 17-woman training camp roster returns six players from the 2022 Sparks, led by former MVP and WNBA champion Nneka Ogwumike. Also returning is two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike, WNBA Champions Lexie Brown and Jordin Canada, 2022 first-round draft pick Rae Burrell and Southern California native Katie Lou Samuelson, who will miss the 2023 season (pregnancy).
The newest additions feature WNBA Champion Azura Stevens, two-time All-Star, Sixth Woman of the Year and 2022 WNBA Champion Dearica Hamby, three-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team selection and 2017 All-Star Jasmine Thomas, and veteran Chinese guard Yang Liwei. The Sparks also signed former WNBL MVP Steph Talbot, who will miss the 2023 season with a torn ACL suffered this offseason.
The Sparks are excited to welcome the No. 10 pick Zia Cooke (South Carolina) and the No. 26 pick Monika Czinano (Iowa) to Los Angeles. The No. 14 pick Shaneice Swain (Australia) will not come over to the WNBA in 2023.
The Sparks rounded out the 2023 training camp roster with veteran guard and 2017 All-Star Layshia Clarendon, Socal natives Reshanda Gray and Karlie Samuelson, and recent signees Crystal Bradford and Joyner Holmes.
LA Sparks 2023 Training Camp Roster
| No. | Player | POS | EXP | DOB | College/Country |
| 1 | Zia Cooke | G | R | 9-Jan-01 | South Carolina/USA |
| 4 | Lexie Brown | G | 5 | 27-Oct.-94 | Duke/USA |
| 5 | Dearica Hamby | F | 9 | 6-Nov-93 | Wake Forest/USA |
| 6 | Crystal Bradford | F | 2 | 11-Jan-93 | Central Michigan |
| 12 | Rae Burrell | G-F | R | 21-Jun-00 | Tennessee/USA |
| 13 | Chiney Ogwumike | F-C | 5 | 21-Mar-92 | Stanford/USA |
| 15 | Jasmine Thomas | G | 12 | 30-Sept-89 | Duke/USA |
| 20 | Monika Czinano | F | R | 20-Jan-00 | Iowa/USA |
| 21 | Jordin Canada | G | 5 | 11-Aug-95 | UCLA/USA |
| 22 | Reshanda Gray | F | 5 | 1-Jun-93 | Cal/USA |
| 23 | Azura Stevens | C | 5 | 1-Feb-96 | Connecticut/USA |
| 24 | Joyner Holmes | F | 3 | 22-Feb-98 | Texas |
| 25 | Layshia Clarendon | G | 10 | 2-May-91 | Cal/USA |
| 30 | Nneka Ogwumike | F | 10 | 2-Jul-90 | Stanford/USA |
| 33 | *Katie Lou Samuelson | F | 4 | 13-Jun-97 | Connecticut/USA |
| 37 | Yang Liwei | G | R | 2-Jan-95 | China |
| 44 | Karlie Samuelson | G | 3 | 10-May-95 | Stanford/USA |
*Katie Lou Samuelson will miss the 2023 season (pregnancy)
*Steph Talbot will miss the 2023 season (ACL)
Basketball Operations & Coaching Staff
Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager – Karen Bryant
Assistant General Manager – Eli Horowitz
Vice President, Operations & Player Relations- Ilene Hauser
Head Coach- Curt Miller
Assistant Coach- Chris Koclanes
Assistant Coach- Steve Smith
Assistant Coach – Danielle Viglione
Player Development Coach- Nola Henry
Video & Analytics Coordinator- Addison Lee
Director of Sports Medicine/Head Athletic Trainer- Dr. Courtney Watson
Assistant Athletic Trainer- Charvette Johnson
Strength and Performance Coach –Emily Blurton
Equipment & Facilities Manager – Thomas Archie
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 26 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 2023 season tickets are available here for purchase.