( ENSPIRE Sports ) The LA Sparks Opening Season is Here
ENSPIRE Contributor: Tyler Burns
The Los Angeles Sparks is returning to kick off the action on July 25th at 3 PM against the Phoenix Mercury. This is the opening day for the WNBA and three games will be played on Saturday to kickstart their 24th inaugural season of action.
The Sparks, and the WNBA, have made it abundantly clear that they intend to make social justice the driving cause of this season and they intend to use their platforms and voices to elevate the Black Lives Matter movement. The Sparks, under the leadership of Candace Parker, intend to make a run at this unorthodox 2020 WNBA title in the “wubble”.
The roster the Sparks entered the IMG Academy with is,
- #31 Kristine Anigwe (Forward)
- #33 Seimone Augustus (Guard)
- #4 Te’ a Cooper (Guard)
- #12 Chelsea Gray (Guard)
- #1 Reshanda Gray (Forward)
- #21 Marie Gulich (Center)
- #30 Nneka Ogwumike (Forward)
- #3 Candace Parker (Forward)
- #10 Tierra Ruffin-Pratt (Guard/Forward)
- #15 Brittney Sykes (Guard)
- #24 Sydney Wiese (Guard)
- #2 Riquna Williams (Guard)
- Head Coach Derek Fisher
- Players sitting out: Chiney Ogwumike, Kristi Toliver, Maria Vadeeva
The WNBA, and the LA Sparks, made it a point to announce their emphasis on social and racial justice and how they hope to improve the ongoing racial disparities within the United States. When Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R-Georgia), also the co-owner of the Atlanta Dream WNBA franchise, made public statements disparaging the BLM and the league’s desire to promote social justice so numerous players stepped up to renounce her statements.
Candace Parker put it plainly during her routine appearances Tuesday night on TNT: “There’s no place in the league for her.”
The Sparks are looking to make a splash in the bubble down in Florida just like every other team but under second-year Head Coach, Derek Fisher things could look a little different. Make sure to tune in Saturday, July, 15th at 3 PM to watch the opening game for the LA Sparks vs. the Phoenix Mercury.
