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LOS ANGELES – Lynne Roberts was not actively seeking to depart from her role with the Utah women’s basketball program, but a conversation with Reagan Pebley, the general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks, prompted a change in her perspective.
On Thursday, Roberts was officially named the head coach of the Sparks, making her the second coach this month to transition from college basketball to the WNBA; the Atlanta Dream recently hired Karl Smesko from Florida Gulf Coast.
“I was fully committed to my role at Utah,” Roberts remarked. “However, it felt as if this was an extraordinary opportunity. As a competitor, the prospect of coaching the top players in the sport is precisely what I aspire to do.”
Roberts takes over following the departure of Curt Miller, who was released from his duties in September and is now serving as the general manager for the Dallas Wings.
She will lead a Sparks team that features a promising trio of young talents: Rickea Jackson, Cameron Brink, and Dearica Hamby. The Sparks also hold the second selection in the upcoming WNBA draft.
“We have an exciting mix of experienced players along with a vibrant young talent pool,” Roberts commented. “That composition is impressive, and we will continue to develop it moving forward.”
Last season, Los Angeles recorded a disappointing 8-32, marking them as the team with the poorest performance in the league and extending their playoff absence to four consecutive years.
“My goal is to compete and achieve success immediately,” Roberts stated. “I understand that it’s a challenging task, but I welcome the opportunity and eagerly anticipate getting started.”
Roberts has established friendships with Lindsay Gottlieb, the Southern California women’s coach, and Cori Close, the UCLA coach.
“This was a deliberate choice,” Pebley noted. “We aimed to select someone for this position who has existing connections within the women’s basketball community, which is exceptional.”
Roberts expressed her ambitions, stating, “I aim to reach the pinnacle with the Sparks.”
A native Californian, Roberts, 49, hails from Redding in Northern California. After playing college basketball at Seattle Pacific, she began her coaching career at Chico State before moving on to Pacific and then Utah.
During her tenure at Utah, Roberts recorded a 165-116 win-loss record over more than nine seasons, recently securing a six-year extension. She successfully guided the team to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and was honored as the Pac-12 Coach of the Year in 2023. The Utes have begun their current season with a 3-1 record under the leadership of Gavin Petersen, who was promoted from associate head coach.
“I dedicated a decade of my life to that program, which I cherished immensely,” Roberts shared. “The progress we’ve made is remarkable, and I take great pride in it.”
She emphasized that the evolving landscape of college basketball, including factors like name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, the transfer portal, and Utah’s transition to the Big 12 Conference, played no role in her decision to leave.
“Being here is a chance to coach the best talent in the world and pursue a championship in Los Angeles. That’s my sole reason,” she said.
“Being in such a competitive environment and thriving under pressure in LA feels like a dream come true,” she added.
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