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Los Angeles Sparks Announce 2023 Training Camp Roster

The Los Angeles Sparks, led by Head Coach Curt Miller, open training camp on April 30 at El Camino College in Torrance, CA.

The Sparks 17-woman training camp roster returns six players from the 2022 Sparks, led by former MVP and WNBA champion Nneka Ogwumike. Also returning is two-time WNBA All-Star Chiney Ogwumike, WNBA Champions Lexie Brown and Jordin Canada, 2022 first-round draft pick Rae Burrell and Southern California native Katie Lou Samuelson, who will miss the 2023 season (pregnancy).

The newest additions feature WNBA Champion Azura Stevens, two-time All-Star, Sixth Woman of the Year and 2022 WNBA Champion Dearica Hamby, three-time WNBA All-Defensive First Team selection and 2017 All-Star Jasmine Thomas, and veteran Chinese guard Yang Liwei. The Sparks also signed former WNBL MVP Steph Talbot, who will miss the 2023 season with a torn ACL suffered this offseason.

The Sparks are excited to welcome the No. 10 pick Zia Cooke (South Carolina) and the No. 26 pick Monika Czinano (Iowa) to Los Angeles. The No. 14 pick Shaneice Swain (Australia) will not come over to the WNBA in 2023.

The Sparks rounded out the 2023 training camp roster with veteran guard and 2017 All-Star Layshia Clarendon, Socal natives Reshanda Gray and Karlie Samuelson, and recent signees Crystal Bradford and Joyner Holmes.

Training Camp Roster

No.PlayerPOSEXPDOBCollege/Country 
1Zia CookeGR9-Jan-21South Carolina/USA
4Lexie BrownG527-Oct.-94Duke/USA
5Dearica HambyF96-Nov-93Wake Forest/USA
6Crystal BradfordF211-Jan-93Central Michigan
12Rae BurrellG-FR21-Jun-00Tennessee/USA
13Chiney OgwumikeF-C521-Mar-92Stanford/USA
15Jasmine ThomasG1230-Sept-89Duke/USA
20Monika CzinanoFR20-Jan-00Iowa/USA
21Jordin CanadaG511-Aug-95UCLA/USA
22Reshanda GrayF51-Jun-93Cal/USA
23Azura StevensC51-Feb-96Connecticut/USA
24Joyner HolmesF322-Feb-98Texas
25Layshia ClarendonG102-May-91Cal/USA
30Nneka OgwumikeF102-Jul-90Stanford/USA
33*Katie Lou SamuelsonF413-Jun-97Connecticut/USA
37Yang LiweiGR2-Jan-95China
44Karlie SamuelsonG310-May-95Stanford/USA

*Katie Lou Samuelson will miss the 2023 season (pregnancy)

*Steph Talbot will miss the 2023 season (ACL)

Basketball Operations & Coaching Staff

Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager – Karen Bryant

Assistant General Manager – Eli Horowitz

Vice President, Operations & Player Relations- Ilene Hauser

Head Coach- Curt Miller

Assistant Coach- Chris Koclanes

Assistant Coach- Steve Smith

Assistant Coach – Danielle Viglione

Player Development Coach- Nola Henry

Video & Analytics Coordinator- Addison Lee

Director of Sports Medicine/Head Athletic Trainer- Dr. Courtney Watson

Assistant Athletic Trainer- Charvette Johnson

Strength and Performance Coach –Emily Blurton

Equipment & Facilities Manager – Thomas Archie

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Terrell Thomas, Founder + CEO of These Urban Times, is a journalist, activist, and sports historian. He has worked with some of the largest brands in sports, entertainment, and tv/film. He lives in Atlanta, GA with his wife and two children.

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