Sparks roster takes shape with Kelsey Plum, Erica Wheeler and others locked in
-
Click here to listen to this article - Share via
See more from the L.A. Times in Google Search. Set us as preferred
The 2026 Sparks roster is coming together as the team prepares for Monday’s draft.
After signing Nneka Ogwumike for her second stint with the team that drafted her, the Sparks officially sent 2024 first-round pick Rickea Jackson to Chicago for guard Ariel Atkins in a straight player trade.
They kept Kelsey Plum around at a discounted rate, re-signed Dearica Hamby for three years and added Erica Wheeler into the mix on a two-year deal worth $625,000 per season.
With Cameron Brink still playing under her rookie contract, the Sparks now have a defined core.
Nneka Ogwumike left the Sparks to join a franchise in a better position to vie for championships. Her return signals a belief the Sparks can win big again.
After Rae Burrell’s best WNBA campaign last season and a breakout season this winter with Unrivaled, she projects as a starter at small forward and Wheeler is an excellent option to come in as a ballhandler alongside Plum or Atkins.
Hamby, who signed for around $3.5 million for those three years, could start over Brink, who is entering her third WNBA season.
“Dearica has developed into one of the most efficient and impactful players in the league,” Sparks general manager Raegan Pebley said in statement announcing her re-signing. “She is a competitor who sets the tone for winning every night, and her leadership and consistency elevate everyone around her.”
Atkins is an elite perimeter defender and a decent three-point shooter who can drive offense alongside Plum. She can space the floor and averaged 36.2% from deep in her career, and will create room for Ogwumike, Brink and Hamby in the post.
Plum signed a one-year deal for $999,999, below the $1.4-million supermax she would have been eligible for as a core designated player. But taking less allows the Sparks more flexibility to build a contending team, and they’ve already made good on that by bringing in Ogwumike and Wheeler as free agents.
Plum averaged 19.5 points and a career-high 5.7 assists, and her 25.4% usage rate was higher than all but one of her years with Vegas, per Basketball Reference. It appears they will go with her as their primary point guard, but the 36-year-old Wheeler, in her second stint with the Sparks, could take some of that pressure off of her in some sets.
UCLA stars Kiki Rice, Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Gianna Kneepkens are expected to be selected in the first round of the WNBA draft on Monday.
“Kelsey brings a rare combination of competitiveness, skill and leadership that elevates everyone around her,” Pebley said while announcing her re-signing. “Her daily standard and preparation set the tone for our team, and she consistently impacts winning through the way she works and competes.”
The Sparks also announced the re-signing of forward Emma Cannon, who first signed with the team in February 2025. She played in 21 games last season, averaging 4.4 points and 1.8 rebounds while shooting 50.8% overall and 38.9% from beyond the arc.
The team lost Julie Allemand to Toronto in expansion, creating room in the backcourt but a specific need for a facilitator. Plum, Wheeler and Atkins are locked in, but the team could use one more player to bolster the group. Sparks guard Julie Vanloo could step into the role, but the team also has a second round pick in a deep collegiate draft on Monday to help round out the roster.
The Sparks missed the playoffs by two games last season, with Brink missing the first half as she recovered from an ACL tear. Featuring Brink coming off the bench or in a rotation with Hamby and Ogwumike gives the Sparks one of the deepest post rotations in the league, even without Jackson and Azura Stevens, who signed a three-year deal with Chicago.
