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Before WNBA training camps began last month, Los Angeles Sparks veteran forward Emma Cannon and her partner, Tia, welcomed twin baby girls. Born on Apr. 4, twins Sage and Suede joined their older brother Dior as the couple’s family grew in size. But in the midst of it all, Cannon was scheduled to report to Sparks training camp to fight for a roster spot.
It’s nothing new to Cannon. Dior was born in January 2022, a few months before she was battling it out for a roster spot with the Phoenix Mercury. Cannon would make the Mercury roster out of camp that year, but was cut after playing in only one game.
In the years since then, Cannon has bounced around the WNBA with a couple of different teams, and she credits Tia’s support for her being able to still pursue the WNBA while juggling being a mother of three young children.
“First and foremost, I’m thankful for my partner. She is basically the head of the snake. She holds it down for me to be able to still be out here and chasing my dreams,” Cannon told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview. “I have three kids now, and it’s just knowing they’re looking up to me and they’re happy to see me when I come home, rain, shine, anything good or bad, they’re just happy to see me. That just keeps me going.”
Emma Cannon hopes to make Sparks roster
When Cannon signed with the Sparks back in February, it was a non-guaranteed training camp contract. The way the WNBA salary cap is set up, only a handful of players are on what’s considered veteran-protected contracts. Every other player has to essentially earn their spot in training camp.
While some of those players on unprotected contracts are already locks to make the final roster, some, like Cannon, come to camp each year hoping to earn a coveted roster spot. Even with 13 WNBA teams now amid the inaugural season of the Golden State Valkyries, there is still an overall shortage of roster spots.
Talented college players, among the best in the country, often find it difficult to make a final WNBA roster. Just last weekend, former Maryland star Shyanne Sellers was cut by the Valkyries before preseason even began.
Fighting to make a WNBA roster is nothing new for Emma Cannon. After finishing up her college career in 2011, Cannon did not make a WNBA roster until 2017 when she signed with the Mercury. Since 2017, the longest Cannon has ever stayed with a single team was 2022 and 2023, when she played for the Indiana Fever.
Even after a solid rookie year in 2017 with the Mercury, she was cut by the team in 2018, and then cut by the Connecticut Sun in 2019 before the start of the regular season. For her, the key is just having a good attitude and using each day to be better.
“Just staying consistent and knowing that it’s a grind every single day. Each new day, it’s another opportunity to be great,” Cannon said. “Just being able to come in with a great attitude. Every rep is your rep; that’s something we say all the time. Just being able to go out there and play hard literally every day.”
Emma Cannon’s role with Sparks
Emma Cannon was an older rookie in the WNBA, she was 28 when she first made a team roster. But since then, she’s still managed to play several years in the league, and has picked up a few tricks of the trade along the way. That’s why, if Cannon does make the Sparks roster, her value to the team isn’t necessarily what she can do on the court.
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The Sparks have several promising young players on the team, including last season’s lottery picks in Rickea Jackson and Cameron Brink. The team also has adequate depth up front with Dearica Hamby likely starting alongside Brink once the latter is cleared to play later in the season, and veterans Azurá Stevens and Mercedes Russell as the main backups.
That’s why Cannon’s potential role would be more of a leadership one. It’s something that Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts has already tasked her with during training camp.
“Leadership, leadership and leadership. I’ve been grateful enough to be around the league a little bit, and I know a lot of things. And I know that it takes more than on the court stuff to be a great team,” Cannon said. “So just me being able to communicate with my teammates and making sure that everybody is being their best self.”
But that’s not to say that Cannon couldn’t contribute in a meaningful way on the court. During her time in the league, she’s been a glue-type of player. That is, a player who isn’t afraid to do the dirty work, the little things that don’t necessarily show up in a box score.
During her career, Cannon has always been a particularly good rebounder, with ha career average of 3.2 rebounds per game. She’ll crash the glass, box out, put on body on opponents defensively and do whatever helps the team win outside of scoring the ball.
“It’s just knowing your role. I’ve played basketball for 14 seasons overseas and I’ve been able to be the top guy, and I’ve also been able to come off the bench and impact,” Cannon said. “So just knowing your role and knowing that when you do get in the game, just playing and giving it 100 percent. Going out there and doing what you need to do.”
The Sparks have already made a pair of roster cuts, bringing their current total to 16 players. They will need to cut that number down to at least 12 by the start of the regular season. That’s only a couple of days away as the Sparks officially tip off on May 16.
Cannon’s spot on the final roster is anything but guaranteed, but she’s used to being the underdog. Her pathway to the league has been an unconventional one. She finished her college career at a Division 2 school in Florida Southern. She wasn’t drafted. She had to grind overseas before getting her first WNBA opportunity.
But through it all, she still made it to the WNBA, which is why she can serve as a role model to players who might end up taking the road less traveled to achieve their pro dreams.
“It’s just not giving up on your dreams and knowing that there are other paths to take in order to get where you want to go. Everybody always feels like if you don’t make it to the WNBA your first year out of college, then it’s just over,” Cannon said. “But it’s not. You have other opportunities, and other doors will open for you. As long as you stay grounded and you keep grinding, anything is possible.”
