The Los Angeles Sparks have pieced together back-to-back wins over the Chicago Sky and Indiana Fever, but key decision makers atop the WNBA franchise are apparently not pleased with the overall direction of the team.
Raegan Pebley has been fired as the general manager of the Sparks, the team announced in a statement on Sunday, July 12. The Sparks were 39-66 in her three seasons as GM.
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“We are grateful to Raegan for her leadership and commitment to the Los Angeles Sparks and women’s basketball,” Eric Holoman, a managing partner and governor of the Sparks, said in a statement. “Her work on the Sparks roster and player experience will have a lasting positive impact on our organization. We sincerely thank her for all she has invested in the Sparks and wish her success in her next chapter.”
In the interim, general manager duties for the Sparks will be shared by Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen, who were previously assistants to Pebley.
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Pebley was hired by the Sparks in January 2024, succeeding Karen Bryant, who had taken over for Derek Fisher. Pebley had no previous experience as a professional sports executive and had spent the previous two decades as a head coach in women’s college basketball.
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Over the course of 20 seasons coaching Utah State, Fresno State and TCU, Pebley piled up an overall record of 297-313 and went to a pair of NCAA tournaments. Before coaching, she played two seasons in the WNBA for the Utah Starzz and Cleveland Rockers.
During her time as general manager, the Sparks fired Curt Miller as head coach, hired Lynne Roberts away from the University of Utah to replace him, and then spent draft picks on Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Sarah Ashlee Barker and Ta’Niya Latson. Of those players, only Brink remains with the organization.
In their second season being coached by Roberts, the Sparks are 10-11 and have dealt with injuries to key players like Kelsey Plum and Brink. The team traded Rickea Jackson for Ariel Atkins this offseason and also signed former MVP Nneka Ogwumike.
Currently ninth in the league standings, the Sparks are in a position to miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
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The Sparks’ ownership group includes NBA legend Magic Johnson, tennis legend Billie Jean King, billionaire Mark Walter, LA Dodgers’ president Stan Kasten and others.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Los Angeles Sparks fire GM Raegan Pebley midway through her third season
