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The Los Angeles Sparks may be in the middle of a tough road trip in the present, but on Thursday they made a few decisions looking towards the future. The Sparks agreed to contract extensions with both Azurá Stevens and Stephanie Talbot, the team announced.
The extensions will carry both players through the 2025 season. Both Azurá Stevens and Stephanie Talbot were set to hit unrestricted free agency in the offseason. These contract extensions ensure that both veterans remain on the Sparks roster for at least one more year, barring any unforeseen trades.
Both players joined the Sparks during the 2023 offseason as free agents. They were both among the most sought after free agents on the market that year. While Stevens made her Sparks debut during the 2023 season, Talbot had to wait a year after suffering a season-ending injury while playing overseas.
Azurá Stevens gives the Sparks needed depth in the frontcourt
Azurá Stevens missed the first five games of the 2023 season, her first with the Sparks, but when she took the court it was evident how important she was to the team. This year her season was delayed as well due to a back injury, but since her return she's moved into the starting lineup with absence of Cameron Brink.
While the Sparks may be far from being a contending team, Stevens is a perfect veteran player to have on the roster. She was a key player on the 2021 Chicago Sky championship team. During her last year in Chicago she was a finalist for the Sixth Player of the Year Award.
With the Sparks, Stevens has shown what she's capable of as a full-time starter. Over the course of two seasons with the Sparks, Stevens has averaged 10.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.0 blocked shots with splits of 41.7 percent shooting from the field, 34.1 percent shooting from the three-point line and 77 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
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In a statement released by the Sparks, Stevens stated that she's looking forward to her future with the team.
“I'm incredibly excited to continue my journey with the Los Angeles Sparks and keep building with my teammates,” Stevens said. “This organization has believed in and supported me the last two seasons, and I feel grateful for the opportunity to continue to call LA home and build something special here.”
Stephanie Talbot looks rejuvenated for the Sparks
After missing the entirety of the 2023 season due to an ACL injury, Stephanie Talbot made her Sparks debut this year. While she was obviously a little rusty to begin the year, she's since settled in and become a versatile player in the rotation.
Talbot spaces the floor with her three-point shooting and can shift between both forward positions. She can handle the ball though and she has shown a knack for making the right passes and reads. Her numbers might not be stick out on the stat sheet, but make no mistake she is very valuable.
She's appeared in 25 games for the Sparks and has been averaging 4.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists with splits of 44.2 percent shooting from the field, 35.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 68.4 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
