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The Los Angeles Sparks underwent major changes during the offseason. They fired head coach Curt Miller and replaced him with Lynne Roberts. They received the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, and ended up trading it to the Seattle Storm in a three-team blockbuster trade that landed them Kelsey Plum. The Sparks ultimately ended up with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft, and there are few players the Sparks could target.
The number one rule of thumb when it comes to the WNBA Draft is always go with the best player available. It doesn’t matter who is already on your roster, you go with the best talent when your selection is on the clock. For the Sparks, that mentality would certainly hold true if they still had the No. 2 pick in the draft.
But after trading the pick, and with some of their subsequent free agency moves, the Sparks can afford to be a little more picky at No. 9. They can look at roster need rather than best player available. That’s not to say if somebody slips in the draft and is available at No. 9, that they don’t take that player.
But barring any unforeseen draft night shenanigans, the Sparks could benefit most from selecting a shooting guard/wing who can defend and consistently knock down the three-point shot. Here’s a look at a few players that fit that profile who could be available when the Sparks are on the clock.
Sparks draft Te-Hina Paopao
There’s no question that the last two seasons at South Carolina did wonders for Paopao’s career. She’s emerged as a legitimate WNBA first round draft pick. While some mock drafts have had her as a borderline late first/early second round pick, she is first round talent and can help immediately.
When Paopao arrived at South Carolina, she wasn’t really recognized as a three-point shooter. But her development in that area is what’s made her an attractive option for WNBA teams in the draft. She shot around 38 percent from three-point range during her three seasons at Oregon.
In her first season at South Carolina, she shot a career-best 46.8 percent from three-point range, and averaged 40 percent across two seasons. She can also handle the ball and make plays. Paopao was primarily a shooting guard at South Carolina, but she was a point guard in high school and a point guard at Oregon.
The Sparks are point guard heavy going into training camp, and they need consistent three-point shooting on the wing. If Paopao is available when they select at No. 9, the Sparks should draft her.
Sparks draft Shyanne Sellers
Sellers is a player who could go higher in the WNBA Draft and might not available when the Sparks select. But she’s still projected to be available in the mid-first round range, increasing the possibility that she could slip to No. 9.
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Sellers is a big wing that has a versatile offensive game. The only real question mark for Sellers is the multiple injuries she’s dealt with while in college. But if that’s not an issue, she’s one of the best overall talents in the 2025 WNBA Draft.
She obviously won’t have the ball in her hands as much as she did in college, making her potential role for the Sparks as a spot three-point shooter. To that end, she shot 34.6 percent from three-point range across four seasons at Maryland, with this past season being her best at 40.8 percent. But she can shoot off the dribble and has a solid midrange game.
What also makes her an intriguing draft pick is her defensive ability. She has the smarts and tools to stick with guards on the wing, and she has good length to disrupt offenses. If a team drafting higher than nine does not take her, the Sparks should make her their WNBA Draft first round pick.
Sparks draft Saniya Rivers
Rivers is another player who could be selected higher in the WNBA Draft than No. 9, but there is a possibility that she’s available when the Sparks are on the clock. She’s a very intriguing prospect who is one of the absolute best defensive players in the draft.
The biggest knock on Rivers though is her three-point shooting. Consistent three-point shooting is something the Sparks desperately need from the wing, and that’s not been Rivers’ strong suit. Across four seasons, one at South Carolina and three at NC State, she’s shot only 22.9 percent from three-point range.
But her defensive ability to guard multiple positions might be too good from the Sparks to pass up. The hope would be that with additional work, Rivers can develop a consistent three-point shot and ultimately develop into a monster 3&D player. Capable wing defenders with size is something else the Sparks need, and Rivers fits that bill.
