Rumors

Sources said Zaidi has also been consulting with the Los Angeles Sparks. Walter and TWG Sports own the WNBA team as well.

ESPN

Should Walter be approved, it would give him one the most valuable collection of professional sports franchises in the world. He is the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, who begin the World Series on Friday night in Toronto. Walter also owns the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, the Billie Jean King Cup, the new Cadillac Formula 1 team and the Professional Women's Hockey League. He is a part owner of Chelsea FC of the English Premier League.

ESPN

The CLA, which stands for Constraints-Led Approach, is a method of learning that has made its way from academia to the mainstream and draws from innovative research in psychology and neuroscience. It replaces traditional block training, where an athlete learns a single movement pattern step-by-step and, instead, places them in game-like situations with special rules that force them to adapt their moves on the fly. It’s founded on the principle that training perfectly yields imperfect results. “It changed my career,” said Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum, a four-time WNBA All-Star and two-time champion. “Before, I was very skilled. But I don’t think I was ever very purposeful.” The CLA takes the ground-up process of block training, which washes out the infinite variables that affect athletes in the heat of competition, and flips it on its head.

New York Times

Alexa Philippou: New: The Los Angeles Sparks have announced plans to build a practice facility in El Segundo scheduled to open in 2027. At $150 million, it represents the largest investment to date for a single team in the history of women’s sports.

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Instead, as a national audience tuned into one of the most highly anticipated WNBA All-Star games to date, the players put a spotlight on their behind-the-scenes fight to secure higher salaries and a larger piece of the revenue. "That was a powerful moment," Los Angeles Sparks guard Kelsey Plum said of the crowd's support. "We didn't, at least as players, we didn't know that was going to happen. So, it was a genuine surprise. Those chants tonight, those signs, it just shows that as players, we are united, but the fans are united in believing what we're seeking." "The fans making that chant," Collier added, "that gave me chills."

ESPN

Magic Johnson: Candace Parker has left an indelible mark on the Los Angeles Sparks, not only as one of the greatest players to ever grace the court, but as a true ambassador of our franchise and women’s basketball as a whole. Beginning with her arrival to the City of Angels in 2008, she not only lived up to the expectations placed on her as a two-time Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year and NCAA National Champion, she far exceeded them. Her unparalleled skill, relentless drive, and leadership elevated the Sparks to new heights and set a new standard of greatness. Candace is the best all-around player that has ever played in the WNBA. Her legacy is immeasurable — she redefined excellence, was a champion on the court and for the Los Angeles community and inspired countless fans and future generations of athletes. Very few champions get to see their jersey hanging from the rafters in this city. Retiring Candace’s No. 3 jersey is not just a celebration of her extraordinary career, but a tribute to the enduring mark she's left on this organization, the WNBA, and the city of Los Angeles. She will forever be a part of the Sparks family.

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Shams Charania: Walter has been a minority stakeholder in the Lakers since 2021 and has interests in multiple professional sports organizations, including the LA Dodgers, WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, the Billie Jean Cup, Cadillac Formula 1 team and the Professional Women's Hockey League.

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The Los Angeles Sparks will retire Candace Parker's No. 3 jersey on June 29, the team announced Thursday. She becomes the third player to have her jersey retired by the franchise, joining Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie, whose No. 9 jersey was retired in 2010, and former player and general manager Penny Toler, whose No. 11 jersey was retired in 2006. "To see my jersey hanging in the rafters amongst other legends is truly an honor. This moment is not just about me -- it's about my family, my teammates, and the incredible support from the LA Sparks organization and fans," Parker said in a statement. "I'm grateful to my parents, who believed in me every step of the way, to my brothers who still are my heroes and to my wife and kids, who inspire me every day. "

ESPN

Parker was twice named the WNBA MVP in her 13 seasons with the Sparks. She also led the team to a title in 2016. "Candace Parker has left an indelible mark on the Los Angeles Sparks, not only as one of the greatest players to ever grace the court, but as a true ambassador of our franchise and women's basketball as a whole," Sparks co-owner Magic Johnson said in a statement. "Retiring Candace's No. 3 jersey is not just a celebration of her extraordinary career, but a tribute to the enduring mark she's left on this organization, the WNBA, and the city of Los Angeles. She will forever be a part of the Sparks family."

ESPN

There’s also Cameron Brink, the second-year rising WNBA star of the Los Angeles Sparks who, in 2023, became the first woman to join New Balance’s basketball roster. And last year, the brand even landed Duke University freshman Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, who grew up 25 miles from New Balance’s Skowhegan, Maine factory. “We take an approach of ‘fewer, bigger, better’ with signing athletes,” Naveen Lokesh, New Balance’s global head of basketball marketing, told Andscape. “We aim to sign fewer partnerships, but market athletes in a bigger way, by telling better stories.”

Andscape

Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores submitted a bid for the city to receive a WNBA franchise, sources told Yahoo Sports. The Detroit Shock were a big part of early WNBA history, winning championships in 2003, 2006 and 2008 before moving to Tulsa in 2010 — and before being rebranded as the Dallas Wings. The Shock set single-game records for attendance in the 2003 WNBA Finals as 22,076 fans filled the Palace of Auburn Hills to see Game 3 against the Los Angeles Sparks, and they matched that mark again in the 2007 Finals. Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever set the single-game regular-season record against the Washington Mystics this past season with 20,711.

Yahoo! Sports

The WNBA, unlike other basketball leagues, finishes its season in the fall, and this year seven of the league’s 12 current franchises dismissed their coach. It’s left a frenzy for replacements, a seller's market. As such, salaries, the NBA assistant said, are expected to hit $1 million and the Los Angeles Sparks are rumored to be willing to pay $2 million. And that doesn’t even count the opportunity to coach the Indiana Fever and star player Caitlin Clark, who are among the teams in the market for a head coach.

Yahoo! Sports

Johnson will add the Spirit to a considerable investment portfolio that also includes stakes in the Washington Commanders (NFL), Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB), Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA), Los Angeles FC (MLS) and eSports franchise Team Liquid.

prosoccerwire.usatoday.com

Magic Johnson: I'm devastated to hear about the loss of my friend Joe "Jellybean" Bryant, the father of Kobe Bryant. Joe was not only a talented basketball player; he was also a great coach. A lot of people don't know that he coached the LA Sparks in 2005, 2006, and 2011! Joe was an exceptional human being with a radiant smile that had the power to brighten any room, and a great husband and father. Cookie and I are praying for his wife Pam, daughters Sharia and Shaya, and the rest of the Bryant family, friends, and all those who loved Joe. 🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/BOZDg35YYi

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