Week-long training camp to be held in San Diego 

The Los Angeles Sparks, led by Head Coach Lynne Roberts, announced a week-long training camp in San Diego beginning Sunday, April 19. The first six days will be held at the University of San Diego Basketball Performance Center, with training camp culminating in an April 25 (12 p.m. PT) preseason game against the Nigerian National Team at San Diego State’s Viejas Arena. 

Legend Nneka Ogwumike returns for her 13th season with the Sparks after signing as a free agent. The 10-time All-Star and seven-time All-Defender has been historically productive with the organization, delivering the 2016 WNBA championship and an MVP award. The Stanford alumna also ranks first in franchise history in many key stat categories and was named a top 25 WNBA player all-time in 2021. 

Los Angeles also will introduce WNBA All-Star and Olympic gold medalist Ariel Atkins, who arrives via trade from the Chicago Sky. The 29-year-old guard is the first and only player in league history to make an All-Defensive team in each of her first five seasons, including receiving First Team honors in 2022.  WNBA All-Star guard Erica Wheeler rejoins the Sparks for the first time since 2021, where she previously teamed with Ogwumike and had a career year. The Miami native is ranked 25th all-time in assists and is only the second undrafted player to eclipse 1,000 career assists.

The three veterans join seven returners from the 2025 Sparks roster, led by two-time champion Kelsey Plum and three-time All-Star Dearica Hamby. In her debut campaign with the Sparks, Plum claimed the franchise’s single-season highs for points, assists, three-pointers made and free throws made, earning her fourth consecutive All-Star selection and an AP All-WNBA Second Team nod. Last season, Hamby scored a career-high 18.4 points per game and converted 57.2% from the field, also a career high and second in the league. 

As a rookie two years ago, 2024 second overall draft pick Cameron Brink ranked second in blocks per game and stands third among WNBA rookies all-time in total Stocks (steals plus blocks). 2022 first-round draft pick Rae Burrell re-signed for her fifth season with the Sparks after averaging 7.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists while shooting 43.3% from the floor. 

Veteran forward Emma Cannon signed with the Sparks ahead of last season, playing in 21 games during the campaign, averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 rebounds on 50.8% overall and 38.9% from beyond the arc.  2025 second-round draft pick Sania Feagin, a 6-foot-3 forward, appeared in 16 games for the Sparks last season. At South Carolina, she played in three Final Fours in four seasons, winning the 2022 and 2024 national championships. Two-time EuroBasket Champion Julie Vanloo enters training camp after competing in 20 games with the organization last season.

The Sparks welcome their three 2026 draft picks, No. 20 Ta'Niya Latson (South Carolina), No. 24 Chance Gray (Ohio State) and No. 35 Amelia Hassett (Kentucky). On April 14, the Sparks signed South Korean Olympian Jihyun Park to a training camp deal and two-time Atlantic 10 First Team honoree forward Laura Ziegler to its development pool.