The Los Angeles Sparks have been hit with a mind-blowing number of injuries this season. While a few players such as Layshia Clarendon and Karlie Samuelson have since returned to the lineup, they're still without a couple of key contributors. While starting guard and potential All-Star candidate Lexie Brown had returned to the court following almost a month-long absence due to a non-COVID illness, she has returned to the injury report being listed as out again with a non-COVID illness. Backup center Chiney Ogwumike is out for four to six weeks with a foot injury. The Sparks have added players on hardship contracts in the meantime with the most recent one being former UConn star Evina Westbrook, the team announced.

When WNBA teams drop below ten available players, they are allowed to sign additional players to hardship contracts like the Sparks have with Evina Westbrook. The Sparks already have former first round draft pick Rae Burrell on a hardship contract. As soon as enough players come off the injury report to bring the active lineup back to ten players, those hardship contracts are immediately terminated.

Evina Westbrook was originally drafted by the Seattle Storm with the No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 WNBA Draft. She spent three seasons at UConn after transferring from Tennessee. Westbrook was one of the Storm's final roster cuts heading into the 2022 season. She was signed by the Minnesota Lynx and appeared in 14 games before they cut her.

Westbrook was then scooped up by the Washington Mystics and remained on the roster for the remainder of the 2022 season. The Mystics then cut her during 2023 training camp. The Phoenix Mercury claimed her off waivers and she suited up in nine games this season before they ended up cutting her. The Sparks will be Westbrook's fourth team in two seasons.