# 2021 Los Angeles Sparks season

The 2021 WNBA season was the 25th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. The season tipped off on May 14, 2021, versus the Dallas Wings.
The Sparks split time in two arenas during the 2021 season. They played at the Los Angeles Convention Center from May until July and then played at the Staples Center after the league took its Olympic break.
The Sparks started the season slowly, losing the first two games. However, they won the next two to finish May with a 2–2 record. June proved difficult, as the team couldn't sustain a winning streak, as wins were followed by two losses frequently. They finished June 4–7 and 6–9 overall. The Sparks went into the Olympic break on a low note when they lost all four games in July. After the break, a favorable schedule contributed to a four-game winning streak to begin the August schedule, with wins over Indiana and Atlanta who finished in the bottom two of the final regular season standings. Once the winning streak ended, the Sparks lost six straight games to slide to 10–19 going into the final three games of the season. Despite winning two of the last three, a final day loss meant the Sparks finished outside the playoff places with a 12–20 overall record.

## Transactions
### WNBA draft

| Round | Pick | Player | Nationality | School/Team/Country |
| 1 | 7 | Jasmine Walker | United States | Alabama |
| 1 | 10 | Stephanie Watts | United States | North Carolina |
| 2 | 22 | Arella Guirantes | Puerto Rico | Rutgers |
| 3 | 28 | Ivana Raca | Serbia | Wake Forest |
| 3 | 34 | Aina Ayuso | Spain | Casademont Zaragoza (Spain) |

### Trades/Roster Changes

| Date | Details |
| December 31, 2020 | Renounced rights to G Ángela Salvadores |
| January 6, 2021 | Extended Qualifying Offers to G Brittney Sykes and C Marianna Tolo |
| January 7, 2021 | Extended Qualifying Offer to G Te'a Cooper |
| January 11, 2021 | Re-Signed G Te'a Cooper |
| January 13, 2021 | Cored F Nneka Ogwumike |
| February 2, 2021 | Signed G Erica Wheeler |
| February 8, 2021 | Re-Signed G Brittney Sykes |
| February 11, 2021 | Signed C Amanda Zahui B. |
| February 19, 2021 | Signed G Bria Holmes |
| February 22, 2021 | Re-Signed G/F Seimone Augustus |
| February 25, 2021 | Re-Signed F/C Chiney Ogwumike |
| March 2, 2021 | Re-Signed F Nneka Ogwumike |
| March 4, 2021 | Signed G Nia Coffey to a Training Camp Contract |
| March 16, 2021 | Waived C Marie Gülich |
| April 14, 2021 | Acquired the 7th pick in the 2021 WNBA draft and Dallas's 2md Round pick in the 2022 WNBA draft in exchange for the Sparks' 2022 1st Round pick. |
| April 18, 2021 | Waived G Tierra Ruffin-Pratt |
| April 19, 2021 | Signed G Stephanie Watts to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| April 20, 2021 | Signed F Jasmine Walker to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| May 6, 2021 | Signed G Arella Guirantes to a Rookie Scale Contract |
| May 9, 2021 | Traded G Stephanie Watts and the rights to G Leonie Fiebich to Chicago in exchange for G/F Gabby Williams |
| May 13, 2021 | G Seimone Augustus retires and is named an Assistant Coach |
| May 13, 2021 | Traded G Sydney Wiese to Washington in exchange for a 2022 2nd Round Pick. |
| May 13, 2021 | Waived F Kristine Anigwe. |
| May 13, 2021 | Temporarily Suspend C Maria Vadeeva. |
| May 14, 2021 | Signed G/F Gabby Williams to a Contract Extension |
| June 4, 2021 | Signed G Karlie Samuelson and C Kristine Anigwe to Hardship Contracts |
| June 28, 2021 | Released C Kristine Anigwe from the Hardship Contract and Waived G Bria Holmes |
| June 29, 2021 | Released G Karlie Samuelson from the Hardship Contract |
| June 30, 2021 | Signed C Lauren Cox |
| June 30, 2021 | Signed G Karlie Samuelson to a Hardship Contract |
| June 30, 2021 | Signed G Bria Holmes to a Hardship Contract |
| August 3, 2021 | Terminated the Hardship Contracts of Bria Holmes and Karlie Samuelson |
| August 3, 2021 | Signed G Karlie Samuelson to a 7-Day Contract |

## Game log
### Preseason

2021 pre-season game log :
May: 1–0 (Home: 0–0; Road: 1–0)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 2
@ Las Vegas
W 80–71
Scrimmage
Michelob Ultra Arena No Fans
1–0
2
May 8
Las Vegas
T 85–85
Jasmine Walker (23)
Jasmine Walker (9)
Wheeler Cooper (5)
Los Angeles Convention Center No Fans
1–0–1 :
2021 pre-season schedule :

### Regular season

2021 game log Total: 12–20 (Home: 8–8; Road: 4–12) :
May: 2–2 (Home: 0–1; Road: 2–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
1
May 14
Dallas
L 71–94
Nneka Ogwumike (18)
Nneka Ogwumike (8)
Brittney Sykes (3)
Los Angeles Convention Center No Fans
0–1
2
May 21
@ Las Vegas
69–97
Nneka Ogwumike (19)
Guirantes C. Ogwumike N. Ogwumike (5)
Kristi Toliver (5)
Michelob Ultra Arena 1,972
0–2
3
May 28
@ Chicago
W 76–61
Nneka Ogwumike (14)
Nneka Ogwumike (9)
Erica Wheeler (6)
Wintrust Arena 1,124
1–2
4
May 30
@ Chicago
W 82–79
Nneka Ogwumike (21)
Nneka Ogwumike (9)
Erica Wheeler (7)
Wintrust Arena 1,124
2–2 :
June
: 4–7 (Home: 4–3; Road: 0–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
5
June 1
@ Dallas
L 69–79
Kristi Toliver (14)
Nia Coffey (6)
Te'a Cooper (4)
College Park Center 1,372
2–3
6
June 3
Indiana
W 98–63
Kristi Toliver (22)
Holmes Zahui B (7)
Erica Wheeler (5)
Los Angeles Convention Center 301
3–3
7
June 5
Chicago
W 68–63
Erica Wheeler (22)
Amanda Zahui B (10)
Erica Wheeler (5)
Los Angeles Convention Center 430
4–3
8
June 10
@ Washington
L 71–89
Te'a Cooper (11)
Kristine Anigwe (9)
Erica Wheeler (4)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,100
4–4
9
June 12
@ Minnesota
L 64–80
Te'a Cooper (17)
Amanda Zahui B (8)
Kristi Toliver (5)
Target Center 2,203
4–5
10
June 16
Phoenix
W 85–80
Erica Wheeler (18)
Brittney Sykes (9)
Erica Wheeler (10)
Los Angeles Convention Center 514
5–5
11
June 18
Phoenix
L 66–80
Erica Wheeler (17)
Amanda Zahui B (6)
Toliver Wheeler (2)
Los Angeles Convention Center 520
5–6
12
June 20
New York
L 73–76
Erica Wheeler (20)
Erica Wheeler (6)
Erica Wheeler (10)
Los Angeles Convention Center 731
5–7
13
June 24
Washington
W 89–82
Te'a Cooper (26)
Amanda Zahui B (5)
Te'a Cooper (4)
Los Angeles Convention Center 520
6–7
14
June 26
@ Phoenix
L 79–88
Erica Wheeler (21)
Kristine Anigwe (9)
Sykes Wheeler (4)
Phoenix Suns Arena
6–8
15
June 30
Las Vegas
L 75–99
Amanda Zahui B (22)
Amanda Zahui B (9)
Cooper Wheeler (3)
Los Angeles Convention Center 746
6–9 :
July
: 0–4 (Home: 0–3; Road: 0–1)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
16
July 2
Las Vegas
L 58–66
Erica Wheeler (15)
Amanda Zahui B (12)
Erica Wheeler (5)
Los Angeles Convention Center 959
6–10
17
July 4
Seattle
L 74–84
Sykes Wheeler (19)
Brittney Sykes (10)
Sykes Wheeler (5)
Los Angeles Convention Center 716
6–11
18
July 7
@ Seattle
L 62–71
Erica Wheeler (22)
Amanda Zahui B (9)
Erica Wheeler (3)
Angel of the Winds Arena 2,730
6–12
19
July 11
Minnesota
L 61–86
Sykes Wheeler (14)
Lauren Cox (8)
Erica Wheeler (6)
Los Angeles Convention Center 892
6–13 :
August
: 4–4 (Home: 3–0; Road: 1–4)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
20
August 15
Indiana
W 75–70
Brittney Sykes (16)
Amanda Zahui B (9)
Toliver Wheeler (6)
Staples Center 2,029
7–13
21
August 17
Atlanta
W 85–80 (OT)
Brittney Sykes (17)
Nneka Ogwumike (9)
Nneka Ogwumike (9)
Staples Center 2,200
8–13
22
August 19
Atlanta
W 66–64
Nneka Ogwumike (17)
Brittney Sykes (8)
Kristi Toliver (5)
Staples Center 1,885
9–13
23
August 22
@ New York
W 86–83
Erica Wheeler (17)
Brittney Sykes (6)
Nneka Ogwumike (6)
Barclays Center N/A
10–13
24
August 24
@ Washington
L 68–78
Nia Coffey (15)
Chiney Ogwumike (8)
Toliver Sykes (3)
Entertainment and Sports Arena 2,620
10–14
25
August 26
@ Connecticut
L 72–76
Nia Coffey (18)
Brittney Sykes (7)
Erica Wheeler (9)
Mohegan Sun Arena 3,702
10–15
26
August 28
@ Connecticut
L 61–76
Erica Wheeler (15)
Erica Wheeler (6)
Erica Wheeler (7)
Mohegan Sun Arena 4,434
10–16
27
August 31
@ Indiana
L 72–74
Nneka Ogwumike (17)
Brittney Sykes (5)
Erica Wheeler (7)
Indiana Farmers Coliseum N/A
10–17 :
September
: 2–3 (Home: 1–1; Road: 1–2)
GameDateTeamScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation AttendanceRecord
28
September 2
@ Minnesota
L 57–66
N. Ogwumike Wheeler (16)
Nneka Ogwumike (10)
Erica Wheeler (7)
Target Center 3,121
10–18
29
September 9
Connecticut
L 57–75
Coffey N. Ogwumike (12)
Nneka Ogwumike (7)
N. Ogwumike Sykes Wheeler (3)
Staples Center 1,695
10–19
30
September 12
Seattle
W 81–53
Te'a Cooper (19)
Brittney Sykes (10)
Erica Wheeler (4)
Staples Center 4,181
11–19
31
September 16
@ Atlanta
W 74–68
Brittney Sykes (17)
Nneka Ogwumike (10)
Erica Wheeler (4)
Gateway Center Arena 2,537
12–19
32
September 19
@ Dallas
L 84–87
Te'a Cooper (24)
Nneka Ogwumike (10)
Erica Wheeler (7)
College Park Center 3,604
12–20 :
2021 season schedule :

## Standings

| # | Team | W | L | PCT | GB | Conf. | Home | Road | Cup |
| 1 | x – Connecticut Sun | 26 | 6 | .813 | – | 12–3 | 15–1 | 11–5 | 9–1 |
| 2 | x – Las Vegas Aces | 24 | 8 | .750 | 2 | 11–4 | 13–3 | 11–5 | 6–4 |
| 3 | x – Minnesota Lynx | 22 | 10 | .688 | 4 | 10–5 | 13–3 | 9–7 | 7–3 |
| 4 | x – Seattle Storm | 21 | 11 | .656 | 5 | 9–6 | 11–5 | 10–6 | 8–2 |
| 5 | x – Phoenix Mercury | 19 | 13 | .594 | 7 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 12–4 | 5–5 |
| 6 | x – Chicago Sky | 16 | 16 | .500 | 10 | 10–5 | 6–10 | 10–6 | 6–4 |
| 7 | x – Dallas Wings | 14 | 18 | .438 | 12 | 7–8 | 7–9 | 7–9 | 3–7 |
| 8 | x – New York Liberty | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 6–9 | 7–9 | 5–11 | 5–5 |
| 9 | e – Washington Mystics | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 7–8 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 10 | e – Los Angeles Sparks | 12 | 20 | .375 | 14 | 2–13 | 8–8 | 4–12 | 1–9 |
| 11 | e – Atlanta Dream | 8 | 24 | .250 | 18 | 6–9 | 4–12 | 4–12 | 4–6 |
| 12 | e – Indiana Fever | 6 | 26 | .188 | 20 | 4–11 | 4–12 | 2–14 | 2–8 |
* v
* t
* e
Notes
    (#) – League Standing
    x – Clinched playoff berth
    e – Eliminated from playoff contention
    Source: Overall standings and Commissioner's Cup Standings

## Statistics

Source:

### Regular Season

| Player | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
| Nneka Ogwumike | 18 | 18 | 31.7 | 53.2 | 36.7 | 80.0 | 6.5 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 0.3 | 14.5 |
| Erica Wheeler | 32 | 32 | 30.2 | 41.7 | 35.5 | 82.7 | 3.1 | 4.8 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 13.6 |
| Kristi Toliver | 19 | 19 | 27.6 | 41.4 | 33.7 | 84.2 | 1.4 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 0.0 | 9.4 |
| Brittney Sykes | 32 | 20 | 29.3 | 40.5 | 26.2 | 77.2 | 4.6 | 2.2 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 9.4 |
| Amanda Zahui B | 30 | 27 | 23.8 | 42.7 | 28.0 | 76.7 | 5.1 | 1.0 | 0.6 | 1.2 | 9.2 |
| Te'a Cooper | 31 | 13 | 22.0 | 37.9 | 32.4 | 75.0 | 1.7 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 9.1 |
| Nia Coffey | 32 | 17 | 25.2 | 42.1 | 41.7 | 77.8 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 8.3 |
| Chiney Ogwumike | 7 | 3 | 19.1 | 40.8 | 75.0 | 75.0 | 4.1 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 7.0 |
| Lauren Cox | 15 | 0 | 14.0 | 41.3 | 20.0 | 77.8 | 3.7 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 3.5 |
| Arella Guirantes | 25 | 2 | 11.6 | 27.4 | 22.2 | 80.8 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 3.2 |
| Jasmine Walker | 2 | 0 | 10.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Maria Vadeeva | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |

## Awards and honors

| Recipient | Award | Date awarded | Ref. |
| Brittney Sykes | WNBA All-Defensive First Team | September 26 | |
| Nneka Ogwumike | Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award | October 3 | |