Lynne Roberts is ready for her new job. Roberts, who is replacing Curt Miller as the Los Angeles Sparks head coach, recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her excitement about the new position.
Roberts was hired immediately after the WNBA Draft Lottery results were announced. LA ended up with the second pick in the draft. They were obviously hoping for the first overall pick, so the results were far from ideal. Nevertheless, Roberts was announced as the head coach after the lottery results were revealed, bringing new energy to the Sparks.
Roberts, 49, has been a head coach since 2002. However, she had worked at the college level throughout her career.
She coached at Chico State and the University of the Pacific early in her career before landing the head coaching job at the University of Utah. Roberts earned respect at Utah, where she coached from 2015-2024. She ended her career at Utah with a winning percentage of over 58 percent.
Utah will unquestionably miss Roberts. She helped turn the women's college basketball program around. However, Utah is surely happy to see her take the next step in her career. The 49-year-old, who is originally from California, will now look to help the Sparks turn their franchise around.
Sparks looking to bounce back in 2025
The Sparks finished with the worst record in the WNBA in 2024. They entered the WNBA Draft Lottery with a strong chance of earning the No. 1 pick. The Dallas Wings, though, had similar odds and they ultimately earned the selection.
Still, LA features a quality core of players. Dearica Hamby is one of the better players in the WNBA. Cameron Brink, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024, projects to be a star. Her 2024 campaign was cut short due to injuries, though.
The Sparks' offseason will be important. If they can find another star and some extra depth, they can take a big step forward in 2025. Los Angeles may still have another year or two before they are ready to seriously compete, but the future is seemingly bright for this team.
Lynne Roberts will do everything she can to help Los Angeles play at a more consistent level as soon as possible. It will be a difficult task, but Roberts has displayed impressive coaching prowess in the past. Her social media message suggests that she is excited for the challenge.