On July 1, the Los Angeles Sparks became the first team in the WNBA to earn 500 victories after they defeated the Dallas Wings 97-89. The Sparks earned their 500th victory in a span of 837 games, breaking the Milwaukee Bucks’ record set on January 12, 1979 when they reached the milestone in 866 games.
Sparks forward Nneka Ogwumike, who played for the Sparks for the past 10 seasons, helped the franchise win 193 of those victories.
“It’s a part of history,” Ogwumike said. “As a professional, these are the only colors I’ve ever worn. These are the only colors I plan on wearing. I just love being part of such a rich legacy.”
All of the Sparks starters scored in double digits against the Wings with Ogwumike and center Liz Cambage scoring 21 points each. Center Chiney Ogwumike reached 1000 career rebounds in the matchup.
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The Sparks are one of three franchises that have been with the WNBA since its inception. Their inaugural game was against the New York Liberty, but Los Angeles would not earn their first win until their third ever game. They defeated the Charlotte Sting 74-54, Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie scored 19 points in the matchup.
With three championships, the Sparks have the second most titles of any franchise. Los Angeles has been successful throughout their history, reaching the playoffs 20 times out of the 26 years the WNBA existed. There have been 13 regular seasons where the Sparks earned at least 20 wins.
“There’s so much culture with our team and there’s so much success,” Ogwumike said. “There’s ups and downs that I’ve experienced with this team. I’ve played with legends that have their jerseys hanging up. I’m just glad to have been a part of another milestone moment with the Sparks.”
Many greats suited up for the Sparks throughout the years including Tina Thompson, Teresa Witherspoon, Penny Toler, Pam McGee, Delisha Milton-Jones, Cappie Pondexter, Candace Parker, and Kristi Toliver.
Showtime Lakers star Michael Cooper was the head coach when the Sparks won their first two championships. Brian Agler was at the helm as the head coach when they won their third title in 2016. Other head coaches would include Joe “Jellybean” Bryant, Carol Ross, and Derek Fisher.
By the WNBA All-Star break last week, the Sparks had a 10-12 overall record, placing them at seventh in the league. Their 500th all-time victory was the start of a three-game winning streak. Despite a coaching change from Fisher to veteran coach Fred Williams and a recent bout of injury problems, the Sparks are still in contention to reach the Playoffs.
