Los Angeles Sparks sign Cappie Pondexter

PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 16: Cappie Pondexter
PHOENIX, AZ - JUNE 16: Cappie Pondexter /
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The Los Angeles Sparks have signed Cappie Pondexter.

The 12 year WNBA veteran spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Sky. Pondexter won two WNBA championships with the Phoenix Mercury and is a seven-time WNBA All-Star.

After a two week wait on the market, one of the top-15 players in WNBA history and 2007 Finals MVP has found a home with a team looking to make a third consecutive trip to the Finals.

“We are very excited about having Cappie join our team,” said Sparks executive vice president and general manager Penny Toler in Wednesday’s release. “She has the ability to play both guard positions. She is a fierce competitor with championship pedigree.”

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Pondexter was selected second overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury out of Rutgers. She transitioned to a bench role for the first time in her career in 2017 with the Sky as the third guard behind Courtney Vandersloot and Allie Quigley.

Pondexter started 15 of her 29 games in 2017, still logging more than 27 minutes per contest and averaging 9.6 points and 4.4 assists per game.

“To be born in the state of California and to then finish my basketball career here, I’m more than thrilled,” said Pondexter. “I’ve always joked with Coach [Brian] Agler that I’d end up playing for him and words can’t describe how happy I am to actually have the opportunity.”

Pondexter joins a backcourt already featuring Odyssey Sims, All-WNBA guard Chelsea Gray, 2017 Defensive Player of the Year Alana Beard. Both Beard and Sims re-signed with the Sparks this offseason as free agents. Veteran stopper Essence Carson, Sydney Wiese and Riquna Williams also remain under contract with Los Angeles.

“The Sparks has been one of the frontier teams since the inception of the WNBA and I’m blessed to leave my mark in its history books,” Pondexter added.

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The signing of Pondexter brings another scoring option into the mix for Brian Agler. Her presence could allow Agler to dial back the minutes of Gray, who was among the league leaders last season, while giving the Sparks more scoring punch off the bench.