Lynne Roberts is out as the Los Angeles Sparks’ head coach after two losing seasons. It’s not the only major change for the franchise, either. Nneka Ogwumike announced her retirement during this past season, and Kelsey Plum decided not to return in free agency, so the Sparks traded her to the Phoenix Mercury.
It’s time for a proper rebuild. The Sparks need to amass young talent, build an identity, and refocus on the future instead of pulling off another foolish win-now trade—even though that future may be uncertain with the team potentially being sold again.
So, now it’s time to find the right head coach to spearhead that rebuild, and they might just find her in Indiana. Fever assistant coach Briann January would be a great candidate for a rebuilding franchise.
January has only been a WNBA assistant coach for four seasons. She would probably need time to fully grow into a head coaching role. The Sparks could give her that time, and January could reward them with a new and improved defensive identity, which is so often the basis for a bright future.
Briann January could reshape the Sparks’ defensive identity
This year’s finals showed how important defense is. The Atlanta Dream and Golden State Valkyries got to compete for a championship because of their defense. Even looking at rebuilding teams proves how important defense is. The Washington Mystics had the second-best defensive rating in the regular season, and they are the perfect example of a well-executed rebuild.
The Sparks are far away from rivaling their defensive identities. They finished this season thirteenth in defensive rating after coming in tenth in 2025. They had good defenders. Cameron Brink is one of the best shot blockers to come out of college. Nneka Ogwumike and Ariel Atkins brought a total of 12 All-Defensive Team selections to LA. Monique Akoa Makani, who came over in the Plum trade, is also a good defender. Lynne Roberts, who built a reputation as a great offensive mind in the NCAA, just wasn’t able to build a strong defensive system with those players.
Briann January might be able to. She knows what it takes to be an excellent defender—both individually and as a team. She received five All-Defensive First Team honors and two All-Defensive Second Team nods in her WNBA career. She also played for a top-five defensive team in six of her 14 seasons, including three years with the number-one defense.
She could bring the defensive grit and understanding the Sparks need to pull off this rebuild.
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