2009 Los Angeles Sparks season

The 2009 Los Angeles Sparks season is the 13th season for the Los Angeles Sparks of the Women's National Basketball Association. Lisa Leslie announced that the 2009 season would be her last.[1] On June 5, the Sparks and Farmers Insurance Group of Companies announced a multi-year marketing partnership that includes a branded jersey sponsorship. The Farmers Insurance branded jersey will be worn by the players for the first time on June 6. As part of this alliance, the Farmers Insurance name and logo will appear on the front of the Sparks jerseys and will have considerable visibility in the Staples Center during home games. Los Angeles became only the second WNBA team to finalize such an agreement.[2] The Sparks attempted to reach the playoffs and were successful.

2009 Los Angeles Sparks season
CoachMichael Cooper
ArenaSTAPLES Center
Attendance10,387 per game
Results
Record1816 (.529)
Place3rd (Western)
Playoff finishLost Conference Finals
Team Leaders
PointsLeslie (15.4)
ReboundsParker (9.8)
AssistsQuinn (3.5)
Media
TelevisionFox Sports West

Offseason

  • On May 13, Sparks star Candace Parker gave birth to a baby girl. It is the first child for the WNBA’s reigning MVP and rookie of the year and husband Shelden Williams of the Boston Celtics. Goodwin Sports Management announced the baby girl was born in Los Angeles. She weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces and was 20 inches long.[3]

Dispersal Draft

Based on the Sparks' 2008 record, they would pick 9th in the Houston Comets dispersal draft. The Sparks waived their pick. [4]

WNBA draft

The following are the Sparks' selections in the 2009 WNBA draft.

Round Pick Player Nationality School/Team/Country
1 13 Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton  United States Purdue
2 22 Ashley Paris  United States Oklahoma
3 35 Britney Jordan  United States Texas A&M-Commerce

[5]

Transactions

  • June 5: The Sparks waived Jessica Moore.
  • June 4: The Sparks waived Ashley Paris and Marta Fernandez.
  • May 18: The Sparks waived Britney Jordan.
  • May 7: The Sparks signed Kristi Harrower to a training camp contract.
  • May 5: The Sparks then traded the pick from the Liberty and Rafaella Masciadri to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Noelle Quinn.
  • May 5: The Sparks traded Sidney Spencer to the New York Liberty in exchange for a first round 2010 WNBA Draft pick.
  • April 14: The Sparks signed Betty Lennox.
  • April 14: The Sparks waived Murriel Page.
  • March 26: The Sparks traded Temeka Johnson to the Phoenix Mercury in exchange for a first-round 2010 WNBA Draft pick.
  • March 25: The Sparks signed Marta Fernandez.
  • March 12: The Sparks signed Tina Thompson.
  • January 30: The Sparks traded Christi Thomas to the Minnesota Lynx in exchange for Vanessa Hayden-Johnson.
  • December 17, 2008: The Sparks traded the rights to Chamique Holdsclaw to the Atlanta Dream in exchange for the 13th pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft.
  • April 21, 2008: The Sparks traded their first-round draft pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft to the Washington Mystics as part of the Taj McWilliams-Franklin/Delisha Milton-Jones transaction.

[6]

Date Trade
December 17, 2008 To Los Angeles Sparks To Atlanta Dream
13th pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft rights to Chamique Holdsclaw
January 30, 2009 To Los Angeles Sparks To Minnesota Lynx
Vanessa Hayden-Johnson Christi Thomas
March 26, 2009 To Los Angeles Sparks To Phoenix Mercury
first-round 2010 WNBA Draft pick Temeka Johnson
May 5, 2009 To Los Angeles Sparks To New York Liberty
first-round 2010 WNBA Draft pick Sidney Spencer
May 5, 2009 To Los Angeles Sparks To Minnesota Lynx
Noelle Quinn Rafaella Masciadri and a first-round 2010 WNBA Draft pick

Free agents

Roster

Los Angeles Sparks roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#Nat.NameHeightWeightDOBFromYrs
PG 6 United States Bobbitt, Shannon 5' 2" (1.57m) 130 lb (59kg) Tennessee
SG 24 United States Ferdinand-Harris, Marie 5' 9" (1.75m) 153 lb (69kg) LSU
PG 10 Australia Harrower, Kristi 5' 4" (1.63m) 139 lb (63kg) Australia
C 55 United States Hayden, Vanessa 6' 4" (1.93m) 240 lb (109kg) Florida
SG 22 United States Lennox, Betty 5' 8" (1.73m) 143 lb (65kg) Louisiana Tech
C 9 United States Leslie, Lisa 6' 5" (1.96m) 170 lb (77kg) USC
SF 8 United States Milton-Jones, DeLisha 6' 1" (1.85m) 185 lb (84kg) Florida
F 3 United States Parker, Candace 6' 4" (1.93m) 175 lb (79kg) Tennessee
F 15 United States Pringle, LaToya 6' 3" (1.91m) 162 lb (73kg) North Carolina
PG 45 United States Quinn, Noelle 6' 0" (1.83m) 175 lb (79kg) UCLA
F 32 United States Thompson, Tina 6' 2" (1.88m) 178 lb (81kg) USC
F 14 United States Wisdom-Hylton, Lindsay 6' 2" (1.88m) 186 lb (84kg) Purdue
Head coach
Assistant coaches
Athletic trainer
Strength and conditioning coach
  • United States Bruce Deziel

Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • Injured Injured

Season standings

Western Conference W L PCT GB Home Road Conf.
Phoenix Mercury x2311.67612–511–613–7
Seattle Storm x2014.5883.013–47–1013–7
Los Angeles Sparks x1816.5295.011–67–1011–9
San Antonio Silver Stars x1519.4418.010–75–1210–10
Minnesota Lynx o1420.4129.09–85–127–13
Sacramento Monarchs o1222.35311.07–105–126–14

Schedule

Preseason

2009 Game Log: Preseason
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
1May 313:00pm@ Connecticut80-77Thompson (14)Leslie, Wisdom-Hylton (6)Lennox (4)Mohegan Sun Arena
6,630
1-0

Regular season

2009 Game Log: Regular Season
June
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
1June 62:30pmDetroitABC78-58Thompson (18)Lennox (10)Harrower (7)STAPLES Center
13,154
1-0
2June 87:30pm@ Detroit52-81Thompson (14)Thompson (11)Milton-Jones, Quinn (3)Palace of Auburn Hills
13,915
1-1
3June 108:00pm@ Minnesota76-87Lennox (25)Lennox, Leslie (8)Quinn (4)Target Center
7,444
1-2
4June 127:00pm@ Indiana61-73Leslie (21)Leslie (13)Harrower (3)Conseco Fieldhouse
9,320
1-3
5June 1910:00pm@ Phoenix80-89Lennox (16)Thompson (14)Quinn (6)US Airways Center
8,255
1-4
6June 219:30pmSacramentoNBA TV
FSNW
67-47Hayden, Thompson (12)Hayden, Lennox (8)Bobbitt (5)STAPLES Center
9,494
2-4
7June 2610:00pm@ Seattle67-69Thompson (20)Milton-Jones (7)Lennox (5)KeyArena
9,686
2-5
8June 289:30pmSeattleNBA TV
FSNW
82-55Ferdinand-Harris (15)Quinn (6)Harrower (5)STAPLES Center
10,797
3-5
July
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
9July 59:30pmPhoenixNBA TV
FSNW
89-104Lennox, Thompson (17)Milton-Jones (7)Bobbitt (6)STAPLES Center
9,872
3-6
10July 97:30pm@ New YorkMSG69-60Lennox (20)Thompson (8)Harrower, Ferdinand-Harris (3)Madison Square Garden
12,247
4-6
11July 117:00pm@ Washington63-75Bobbitt, Lennox (10)Milton-Jones, Thompson (7)Harrower (3)Verizon Center
12,217
4-7
12July 147:00pm@ ConnecticutESPN271-82Milton-Jones (19)Lennox (11)Lennox, Milton-Jones, Parker (2)Mohegan Sun Arena
6,612
4-8
13July 2210:30pm@ Seattle87-98 (3OT)Thompson (22)Lennox (12)Parker (5)KeyArena
7,154
4-9
14July 288:00pm@ Minnesota76-70Thompson (30)Parker (10)Lennox, Thompson (4)Target Center
7,216
5-9
15July 298:00pm@ Chicago63-75Milton-Jones (15)Parker (10)Thompson (4)UIC Pavilion
5,633
5-10
August
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
16August 110:00pm@ Sacramento59-56Parker, Milton-Jones (13)Parker (12)Harrower (6)ARCO Arena
7,204
6-10
17August 43:00pmSan Antonio59-63Leslie, Quinn (13)Thompson (12)Quinn (4)STAPLES Center
13,865
6-11
18August 610:30pmSeattle79-75 (OT)Quinn (23)Parker (13)Leslie (4)STAPLES Center
9,735
7-11
19August 1010:30pmIndiana75-63Leslie (21)Leslie (11)Milton-Jones (4)STAPLES Center
8,263
8-11
20August 119:00pmNew YorkESPN261-65Leslie (12)Parker (11)Bobbitt, Harrower, Quinn (2)STAPLES Center
9,548
8-12
21August 1410:30pmSacramento79-85Leslie (25)Parker (10)Quinn (5)STAPLES Center
10,122
8-13
22August 1510:00pm@ Sacramento78-61Parker (18)Leslie (9)Milton-Jones, Quinn, Thompson (4)ARCO Arena
7,646
9-13
23August 1810:30pmWashington72-69Leslie (20)Parker (12)Parker, Quinn (5)STAPLES Center
9,287
10-13
24August 1910:30pmMinnesota78-63Leslie (28)Parker (10)Quinn (7)STAPLES Center
9,181
11-13
25August 218:00pm@ San AntonioNBA TV
KMYS
67-66 (OT)Parker (17)Parker, Thompson (12)Leslie (4)AT&T Center
9,540
12-13
26August 233:00pm@ Atlanta91-87Parker (23)Lennox, Parker (8)Thompson (6)Philips Arena
11,304
13-13
27August 2510:00pmChicagoESPN275-63Leslie, Parker (21)Parker (12)Bobbitt, Thompson (3)STAPLES Center
9,615
14-13
28August 2710:30pmPhoenixNBA TV
FSNW
90-98Leslie (23)Lennox (6)Quinn (8)STAPLES Center
9,586
14-14
29August 309:30pmConnecticutNBA TV
FSNW
91-81Thompson (21)Parker (13)Milton-Jones, Quinn (5)STAPLES Center
11,072
15-14
September
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceRecord
30September 110:30pmAtlanta79-84Leslie (24)Parker (14)Lennox (5)STAPLES Center
8,756
15-15
31September 58:00pm@ San Antonio72-89Leslie (21)Parker (10)Parker (8)AT&T Center
8,631
15-16
32September 810:30pmSan AntonioNBA TV
KMYS
76-68Leslie (18)Parker (13)Quinn (6)STAPLES Center
10,476
16-16
33September 1110:30pmMinnesotaNBA TV
FSNW
90-64Leslie, Thompson (19)Parker (14)Quinn (9)STAPLES Center
13,764
17-16
34September 133:00pm@ PhoenixESPN281–78Parker (24)Parker (14)Lennox (6)US Airways Center
12,968
18–16
All games are viewable on WNBA LiveAccess

Postseason

2009 Game Log: Postseason
Western Conference Semifinals
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceSeries
1September 1610:00pmSeattleESPN270-63Thompson (16)Leslie, Parker (10)Harrower (5)STAPLES Center
7,919
1-0
2September 1810:00pm@ SeattleNBA TV74-75Lennox (17)Leslie (14)Quinn (5)KeyArena
8,854
1-1
3September 205:00pm@ SeattleESPN275-64Parker (22)Milton-Jones (9)Quinn (7)KeyArena
8,159
2-1
Western Conference Finals
GameDateTime (ET)OpponentTVScoreHigh pointsHigh reboundsHigh assistsLocation/AttendanceSeries
1September 2310:00pmPhoenixESPN294-103Parker (28)Parker (10)Thompson (5)Pauley Pavilion[7]
6,389
0-1
2September 2510:00pm@ PhoenixNBA TV87-76Parker (24)Parker (18)Quinn (4)US Airways Center
7,628
1-1
3September 2610:00pm@ PhoenixNBA TV74-85Leslie (22)Thompson (11)Lennox, Thompson (3)US Airways Center
7,226
1-2

Regular Season Statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage  TO  Turnovers per game
 PF  Fouls per game Team leader League leader

Player Statistics

Player GP GS MPG RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
Shannon Bobbitt 33310.71.01.40.450.032.2
Marie Ferdinand-Harris 28612.11.50.90.540.075.4
Kristi Harrower 312616.81.82.20.520.003.1
Vanessa Hayden 25110.82.70.20.160.883.8
Betty Lennox 301321.34.51.80.870.1310.2
Lisa Leslie 232127.76.62.10.701.4315.4
Delisha Milton-Jones 333331.64.82.21.240.2410.2
Candace Parker 252432.69.82.60.602.1213.1
Noelle Quinn 34927.33.63.51.180.328.4
Tina Thompson 343434.85.92.30.760.7113.0
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton 2906.81.40.30.100.282.4

Team Statistics

Team FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PF PPG
Los Angeles Sparks .430.297.79136.717.36.44.916.717.174.5
Opponents .399.335.76930.915.28.83.413.618.373.5

Awards and honors

References

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