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When the Los Angeles Sparks added Odyssey Sims via a 7-day contract signing last month, it was a bit surprising that she was even available this late in the WNBA season. After all, she was coming off averaging a little over 17 points per game for the Dallas Wings.
What was even more shocking was the fact that Sims' was not on a team's active roster at the beginning of the season. It took multiple injuries in Dallas for her to be added via a hardship contract. Once the Wings' active roster was healthy enough, her hardship contract was terminated.
With only 12 teams in the WNBA and a maximum of 12 roster spots available, Sims' journey over the past couple of seasons has become an example of the league's need for expansion. She's still very much an impact player but has played out the majority of the past three seasons on 7-day contracts and hardship contracts.
The WNBA is set to add an expansion franchise, its first since the Atlanta Dream in 2008, in the Golden State Valkyries who are set to begin play next season. A yet-to-be-named Toronto franchise is set to begin play in 2026. The WNBA has announced its intentions to expand to up to 16 teams by 2028.
Having experienced the league's roster crunch, Sims' is confident that the expansion teams will bring much-needed opportunity more of the top players in the country.
“It's definitely going to open up more opportunities. I feel like you can ask a random fan, there's always going to be a fan of someone who came out of college that's not on a roster spot right now,” Sims told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “I think having 24 new available spots coming in by 2026, it's going to be good. It's going to be huge. Our viewership is going up, everything is going up. The women's game is expanding, slowly but surely. It's expanding and I'm happy to be a part of it.”
But in the meantime, Sims' is focused on what she can do to help the Sparks.
Odyssey Sims has become the floor leader for the Sparks
The Sparks' signing of Odyssey Sims came amid absences of two key playmakers and ball-handlers in Layshia Clarendon and Aari McDonald. With the Sparks needing a veteran point guard, Sims was a perfect fit. She made her debut on Aug. 17 against the Chicago Sky and since then she's made a strong impact.
She's moved into the starting lineup even with the return of McDonald to the active roster and she's provided the team with a capable playmaker and ball-handler who can quarterback the offense and lead on the court.
Since she joined the Sparks, she can often be seen chatting it up with the young players on the team pregame, during timeouts and dead ball situations and in-game letting them know where to be and what to do. Now in her 11th season in the WNBA, Sims chalks up her leadership to maturity.
“It's just maturity. As you get older you grow, you learn a little bit more and learn how to deal with situations,” Sims said. “Everything comes back full circle, I'm the vet now. It's my job to lead as much as I can and keep this group together.”
This is Sims' second go-round with the Sparks after suiting up for the franchise in 2017 and 2018. It's also her second go-round with head coach Curt Miller whom she played for briefly with the Connecticut Sun during the 2022 season. Miller's familiarity with Sims and what she brings to the court was why the Sparks went after her.
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Sims has appeared in eight games for the Sparks so far, including three starts, at a little over 25 minutes per game. She's been averaging 11.1 points, 1.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists. She's shooting 43.1 percent from the field and 82.8 percent from the free-throw line.
Back on Aug. 25 against the Dallas Wings, Sims had her first double-double of the season with 26 points and ten assists. She followed that up with 14 points, seven assists and three steals during the Sparks' big win against the New York Liberty while being the primary defender against Sabrina Ionescu.
For Sims, it's all about fitting in where she can and playing whatever role she's asked to.
“I'm here to do whatever I need to whether it's scoring, whether it's defending the best guard on the other team, energy, veteran leadership, all of that. I'm a point guard so I got to lead,” Sims said. “I have to make sure I know the play to keep everybody together, especially throughout the course of the game.”
Sims has dished out five or more assists in six of the eight games she's played in for the Sparks. One of the Sparks' key areas of concern this season has been consistent point guard play and that's exactly what Sims has brought.
She's able to find her teammates and get them scoring opportunities while being able to keep her own offense consistent. It's a delicate balance at times for a point guard in knowing when to be a playmaker and when to hunt for your own shot, but Sims has done a good job of that.
While the win/loss record might not show it, her impact and presence have been a key factor in the Sparks fighting till the end in each of these games.
“Basketball is a game of runs so just maintaining, knowing when to slow the game down. We kind of play fast possessions a lot where we have three or four just quick, quick, quick possessions. Just having that ability to slow it down and say okay let's get into something,” Sims said. “I wouldn't say that's what the team was missing, but definitely what they needed just a little more of. Just have somebody to keep us in the game and throughout the course of the game.”
Odyssey Sims' WNBA future should be with the Sparks
Following the Sparks recent game against the Chicago Sky, they signed Sims for the rest of the season. Sims had been playing on her third 7-day contract meaning that she had to be signed for the remainder of the year or cut after the deal ran out.
Sims' deal for the rest of the season indicates that neither Lexie Brown nor Layshia Clarendon are expected back before the year ends. Brown has been battling the effects of Crohn's while Clarendon has been away from the team due to mental health reasons.
In any case, Sims has proved her worth with the Sparks. She's become the floor leader they've needed. Her veteran experience is crucial to the development of the younger players. And with each passing game, even if they don't result in wins, she's seen the work and the culture that's being built.
“I'm hungry for wins. We got our first one, a big one against New York the other day, we're just looking to keep it going,” Sims said. “We still got games to play. So I think we're just gonna take them one game at a time, get as many wins as we can.”
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