The LA Sparks loaded up in the offseason. They brought back Nneka Ogwumike. They brought back Erica Wheeler. They added Ariel Atkins and Kelsey Plum. The front office did its job. But 18 games into the season, the roster that was supposed to contend is sitting at 8-10 and 10th place. And they just finished a winless two-game road trip.
Here’s the thing though. The people inside the locker room don’t sound like a team that’s about to break.
Ogwumike, the 10-time All-Star and president of the WNBPA, has been through enough seasons to know that June standings don’t decide anything. She’s averaging 15.8 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting over 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from three. But numbers aren’t the problem.
“I think just going out and doing my job. Making sure that I can come and be an asset for my team on both ends of the floor,” Ogwumike told ClutchPoints. “If there’s big defensive assignments, ensuring that I take that personally. Offensively, being aggressive and knowing what I can contribute on that end.”
The Sparks are dead last in the WNBA in opponent points per game (94.3) and defensive rating (115.9). That’s the real issue. Ogwumike sees the defense as the piece that can unlock everything else.
“When we stick to our pillars, play in space and shot quality, we can be in it with the best of them,” she said. “I really do feel like our defense helps our offense. For us to be able to get stops and go and get easy buckets is a strength of ours.”
Wheeler’s role has already shifted
Erica Wheeler started the season coming off the bench. Then the coaching staff moved her into the starting lineup to take some ball-handling pressure off Plum. The 11-year veteran is shooting career lows — 33.8 percent from the field and 23.3 percent from three. That’s not ideal for a guard who was supposed to be a steadying presence.
But Wheeler’s value to this team isn’t just in the box score. She’s the loudest voice in the room. She keeps the energy up when things go sideways.
“I think I put things in perspective. I think I’ve been the example of being able to go through some things and being able to get on the other side of it,” Wheeler said. “Stick to the plan. Trust yourself, know yourself, know the work that you’re putting in and the change will end up happening.”
She’s not wrong that there have been flashes. The Sparks have beaten good teams. They’ve held opponents under 80 points in a handful of games. The problem is consistency. They haven’t put together two good defensive performances in a row.
“We have games where we play some good ass defense, and we have games where we fucking light people up. We’re just so up and down right now,” Wheeler said. “I feel like we need to find that steady pace where we can defend and then be able to put up points but where it looks good and not like a 2k glitch or a scratched CD. I feel like right now we look like a scratched CD.”
A surprising addition of point guard Kiana Williams might help ease the load, but the roster is still working through injuries and figuring out rotations. Plum missed a couple of games and that hurt. Wheeler pointed out how much harder things get without her on the floor.
“I can’t wait to fucking click, I must tell you that,” Wheeler said. “I think we’re still trying to figure some things out. We have some injuries … KP is the head of the snake and had a couple games without her and it’s hard. It’s hard as hell without her. I just think that we’re going through our spell early. I’d rather it now versus at the All-Star break.”
Ogwumike echoed that thought. She sees a team still getting used to each other. Still learning how to close quarters. Still figuring out where the defensive stops come from.
“I think we’re still forming a bit, getting used to each other and how each other plays,” she said. “Certainly wanting to sustain not just 40 minutes of defense, but consistent defensive stopping. There’s definitely moments where we see that we’re really connecting.”
The lineup is talented. The veterans have been here before. But right now the Sparks look like a team that hasn’t figured out what it wants to be. And the clock is ticking.
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