Los Angeles Sparks hire University of Utah coach Lynne Roberts to fill vacant head coach position

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Los Angeles Sparks have hired Utah coach Lynne Roberts to fill their vacant head coach position, the franchise announced Tuesday night.

Roberts has spent the last nine-plus seasons at Utah and led the team to three straight NCAA Tournament berths. She was the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023. The Utes have started this season 3-1 and will be coached by Gavin Petersen, who was the school's associate head coach.

“Lynne is an outstanding coach and leader,” Sparks Governor and Managing Partner Eric Holoman said. “We are thrilled to bring her decades of winning coaching experience to our organization. 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.”

Roberts inherits a team that has a strong young nucleus of Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink and Dearica Hamby. The Sparks have the No. 2 pick in next year's WNBA draft. Los Angeles finished 8-32 last season for the league's worst record.