The Los Angeles Sparks will introduce former Utah coach Lynne Roberts Thursday as their third permanent coach since they last reached the WNBA playoffs in 2020.
Roberts’ hiring to succeed Curt Miller was announced Tuesday. The Sparks announced on Sept. 24 they had “mutually agreed to part ways” with Miller, five days after completing his second season with a league-worst 8-32 record.
Roberts, 49, had coached the Utes since the 2015-16 season, guiding them to a 165-116 record and berths in the NCAA tournament each of her final three full seasons. Utah was off to a 3-1 start before she resigned to accept the Sparks’ position.
“I am honored to be named the next head coach of the Los Angeles Sparks,” Roberts said in a statement. “I want to thank our ownership group for this incredible opportunity. From conversations with Eric Holoman and Reagan Pebley, it is evident that we share a like-minded commitment toward creating a winning culture and team.
“The Sparks have a talented roster with tremendous upside, and we will compete tirelessly for WNBA championships. I believe Los Angeles should be the premier market in the WNBA, and I’m eager to partner with our players and front office to make this happen.”
Holoman, the team’s governor and managing partner, called Roberts “an outstanding coach and leader.”
“We are thrilled to bring her decades of winning coaching experience to our organization,” Holoman said in a statement. “Through our comprehensive international search, Lynne’s modern view of basketball, her communication skills, and ability to build relationships made her the right choice for the role.”
Pebley, the Sparks’ general manager, said in a statement, “First and foremost, Lynne’s leadership and integrity stand out.”
“Her ability to partner with players while creating a winning culture will translate as we continue our path toward championship contention,” Pebley said. “Lynne has a dynamic and forward-thinking offensive mind, and her up-tempo style fits perfectly with the way we want to play. We love how she maximized her talent at Utah in one of the nation’s strongest conferences.”
For the past three seasons, Utah has led NCAA Division I in 3-point shots, was second in overall offensive rating and third in effective field goal percentage. In the 2023-24 season, 95% of the Utes’ shots were either 3-point shots, at the rim or in free throw lane.
Roberts began her coaching career in 1997 as a student assistant at Seattle Pacific immediately after concluding her playing career with the Falcons, while pursuing a master’s degree in athletic administration. She remained on their staff as an assistant coach after receiving her master’s degree in 2000.
She was the coach at Chico State from 2002 through 2006, guiding the Wildcats to an 86-31 record and berths in the NCAA Division II tournament each season, including reaching the Sweet 16 and Final Four her final two seasons.
Roberts became a Division I coach for the first time in 2006 when she was hired by Pacific. The Tigers had losing records in each of her first five seasons, but winning records in each of her last four, reaching the Women’s National Invitation Tournament each time.
Roberts was selected as the Big West Coach of the Year for the 2012-13 season when Pacific won the conference’s regular-season championship and were 27-8 after going 18-14 the previous season. Her career record at Pacific was 135-144.
Miller was 25-55 in his two seasons as the Sparks’ coach. He succeeded Derek Fisher, who was fired after the team started the 2022 season with a 5-7 record. Fred Williams coached the team to a 8-16 record as interim coach for the remainder of that season.