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‘They know what they want to do’: Day 1 in Los Angeles Sparks camp

By David Yapkowitz

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 7: Derek Fisher and Candace Parker during a press conference introducing Fisher as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks during a press conference on December 7, 2018 at Luxe City Center Hotel in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 7: Derek Fisher and Candace Parker during a press conference introducing Fisher as the new head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks during a press conference on December 7, 2018 at Luxe City Center Hotel in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Sparks are hoping their new roster additions can help them back to title contention.

LOS ANGELES — WNBA training camps got underway over the weekend and for the Los Angeles Sparks, there were quite a few new faces on the court.

Derek Fisher opened his first camp as head coach of the Sparks, and he was joined by new roster additions in Chiney Ogwumike, Alexis Jones, Tierra Ruffin-Pratt, and Marina Mabrey. Kalani Brown was also present but did not practice due to a pending league physical.

Although the core of team have been playing together for a few seasons now, and have even won a championship together, Fisher is using this time to really get acclimated with his team and integrate the new players.

“The most important thing is about starting to build relationships, getting to know each other as a group,” Fisher told reporters at practice. “The energy was great, we have a veteran group. They’re serious about their jobs so we don’t have to get them fired up over much. They know what they want to do.”

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It was just three seasons ago, in 2016, that the Sparks won the WNBA title. They reached the finals the following year and fell just short in a thrilling winner-take-all Game 5 against the Minnesota Lynx.

Last season, however, the Sparks finished only a few games over .500 and were ousted in the second-round of the playoffs by the Washington Mystics. While their new roster additions certainly seem as though they’re equipped to regain a place among the league’s elite, Fisher isn’t allowing that talk to distract from at all.

“On paper, it appears that we’re supposed to be something. We really have to come in here and work every day as though we are nothing,” Fisher said. “We have something to prove every time we’re on the court. That was something that we talked about.”

Perhaps one of the biggest storylines heading into this season is how the Sparks frontcourt rotation is going play out. They have arguably the most versatile frontcourt in the league, capable of playing any style of basketball.

Candace Parker is a point forward, capable of initiating the offense. Paired up with Nneka Ogwumike, they form one of the best frontcourt duos in the league. Both are former MVPs and perennial All-Stars. They’ll now be joined by Chiney Ogwumike, another All-Star caliber player, and a force in the paint.

That will be one of the top challenges facing Fisher and his coaching staff, is how to get all these pieces to fit together on the court.

“I know our advantage is our versatility, I know there’s a lot of players on this court that can play multiple positions,” Parker told reporters at practice. “That’s D-Fish’s job and I’m sure he’ll do a great job at it.”

It isn’t the first time Chiney and Nneka have played together in their basketball careers. They starred together at Stanford and formed one of the nation’s top duos at the time. That

“I don’t think it will take any time. For us to kind of pick up where we left off would be great,” Nneka told reporters at practice. “Also, to build on the chemistry I have with CP, it’s going to be hard to stop…I think we’re all just going to kind of buy into whatever he [Fisher] has for us. If we’re all on the court together, we’re just going to make as hard as we can for everybody.”

The Sparks will open up the 2019 regular season on the road on May 26 against the Las Vegas Aces.

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