The Los Angeles Sparks have parted ways with head coach Lynne Roberts after two seasons, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Roberts leaves Los Angeles with a 37-51 record and without a playoff appearance in either of her two seasons.
The move comes one day after the Sparks finished the 2026 regular season with a heartbreaking 76-75 loss to the Golden State Valkyries, blowing a double-digit fourth-quarter lead in what became Nneka Ogwumike’s final WNBA game.
The Sparks finished 16-28 in 2026 after going 21-23 in Roberts’ first season.
The franchise’s postseason drought has now reached six consecutive seasons, with Los Angeles last making the playoffs in 2020.
A Sudden End to the Roberts Era
The timing of Roberts’ dismissal is notable.
Following Tuesday’s loss to the Las Vegas Aces, Roberts said she believed she should return for the 2027 season and emphasized the need for stability within the organization.
“We’ve had two tough years of injuries,” Roberts said, while acknowledging the amount of change surrounding the team.
Instead, the Sparks will enter the offseason looking for another head coach.
Roberts was hired by Los Angeles in November 2024 after spending nine-plus seasons as the head coach at Utah. The Sparks highlighted her collegiate success when making the hire, including three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 2023 Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors.
The Sparks Are Resetting Again
The coaching change comes during a larger organizational reset.
Los Angeles parted ways with general manager Raegan Pebley in July after the team had gone 8-32 in 2024 and 21-23 in 2025.
Ariana Andonian subsequently became the Sparks’ new general manager, giving the franchise a new basketball decision-maker along with a new head coach.
The Sparks also experienced significant roster changes during the 2026 season.
Kelsey Plum was traded to the Phoenix Mercury, while Cameron Brink dealt with an ankle injury and other key players battled injuries throughout the season.
Los Angeles ultimately finished with the second-worst defense in the WNBA, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Roberts’ Two-Year Record
| Season | Record | Playoffs |
| 2025 | 21-23 | Missed |
| 2026 | 16-28 | Missed |
| Total | 37-51 | 0 appearances |
The Sparks now face another offseason of significant change.
The franchise has lottery picks to work with and several young players to build around, but the organization will have to determine what direction it wants to take under Andonian’s leadership.
The next head coach will inherit a team that has missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons and is entering another major transition.
What’s Next for the Sparks?
The immediate question is who Los Angeles chooses to replace Roberts.
With a new general manager already in place, the coaching search will be one of the first major decisions of the Sparks’ next era.
And after two seasons and a 37-51 record, the Lynne Roberts era in Los Angeles is officially over.
