The Los Angeles Sparks, led by Head Coach Curt Miller, open training camp on April 28.
Returning to the Sparks this season are Lexie Brown, Rae Burrell, Zia Cooke, Layshia Clarendon, Nia Clouden, Dearica Hamby and Azurá Stevens. The newest additions to the Sparks feature Julie Allemand, Monique Billings, Aari McDonald, Kia Nurse and Li Yueru. Los Angeles is excited to welcome the 2024 draft class including No. 2 pick Cameron Brink (Stanford University), No. 4 pick Rickea Jackson (University of Tennessee) and No. 28 pick McKenzie Forbes (University of Southern California).
Blake Dietrick, Virag Kiss and Taylor Mikesell have all signed training camp contracts. Dietrick has spent time with the Seattle Storm, San Antonio Stars and Atlanta Dream from 2016-2021 and averaged 2.6 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. Kiss is a member of the 2024 Hungarian National Team and played with Mersin in Turkey. During EuroLeague play, she averaged 11.6 points, 6.9 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game while shooting 51.0% from the field. Mikesell was drafted 13th overall by the Indiana Fever in 2023 and played six games for the Dream, averaging 2.8 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game.
2024 Training Camp Roster
No. | Player | POS | EXP | College/Country | |
1 | Zia Cooke | G | 1 | South Carolina/USA | |
2 | Rickea Jackson | F | R | Tennessee/USA | |
4 | Lexie Brown | G | 6 | Duke/USA | |
5 | Dearica Hamby | F | 9 | Wake Forest/USA | |
7 | Stephanie Talbot | F | 5 | Australia | |
10 | Kia Nurse | G-F | 5 | Connecticut/Canada | |
12 | Rae Burrell | G-F | 2 | Tennessee/USA | |
13 | Blake Dietrick | G | 5 | Princeton/USA | |
14 | Taylor Mikesell | G | 1 | Ohio State/USA | |
15 | Aari McDonald | G | 3 | Arizona/USA | |
20 | Julie Allemand* | G | 2 | Belgium | |
22 | Cameron Brink | F | R | Stanford/USA | |
23 | Azurá Stevens* | F-C | 6 | Connecticut/USA | |
24 | Nia Clouden | G | 2 | Michigan State/USA | |
25 | Layshia Clarendon | G | 10 | California/USA | |
28 | Li Yueru | C | 1 | China | |
33 | Virag Kiss | C | R | Hungary | |
34 | McKenzie Forbes | G-F | R | USC/USA | |
55 | Monique Billings | F | 6 | UCLA/USA |
*Julie Allemand will remain overseas temporarily while rehabbing an ankle injury. Azurá Stevens is out with an arm injury and will be re-evaluated in eight weeks.
2024 Coaching and Basketball Operations Staff
General Manager | Raegan Pebley | |
Asst. GM & VP of Scouting/Analytics | Eli Horowitz | |
Head Coach | Curt Miller | |
Assistant Coach | Neil Harrow | |
Assistant Coach | Nola Henry | |
Assistant Coach | Camille Smith | |
Director of Player Development | Danielle Viglione | |
Special Assistant to the Head Coach and GM | Steve Smith | |
Video Coordinator | Marty Vosters | |
Director of Health & Performance | Chelsea Ortega | |
Head Athletic Trainer | Karissa Scherer | |
Assistant Athletic Trainer | Tavon Spears | |
VP, Operations & Player Relations | Ilene Hauser | |
Equipment & Facilities Manager | Thomas Archie |