The Los Angeles Sparks announced that the franchise and head coach Curt Miller have mutually agreed to part ways after two seasons.
The Sparks went a WNBA-worst 8-32 in 2024, one year after Miller led Los Angeles to a 17-23 mark that left the team just short of the playoffs.
Injuries and illness affected key members of the Sparks in 2023, with Layshia Clarendon (foot), Lexie Brown (Crohn’s disease) and Chiney Ogwumike (Achilles) all missing time.
In 2024, the team went in the wrong direction, notably finishing last in offensive rating. But the rebuilding Sparks were considered a long shot to win the title and notably lost No. 2 overall draft pick Cameron Brink to a torn ACL after just 15 games.
In a year marked with more injury and instability, the Sparks started 13 different players, and only three (Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson and Kia Nurse) started at least half the team’s games.
Miller arrived in Los Angeles after seven seasons (2016-2022) leading the Connecticut Sun, which went 140-86 under his watch. He was also the team’s general manager. The Sun made the playoffs in Miller’s final six seasons, reaching the WNBA Finals in 2019 and 2022. Connecticut fell to the Washington Mystics and Las Vegas Aces in those years, respectively.
Miller also won WNBA Coach of the Year honors in 2017 and 2021. In 2017, Miller led the Sun to a seven-win improvement (14-20 to 21-13) and the playoffs, earning Executive of the Year honors as well. In 2021, Connecticut went a WNBA-best 26-6 in the regular season.
After the 2022 season, Miller sought a new challenge with the Sparks, who had just gone 13-23 and fired head coach/GM Derek Fisher after 12 games into his second year with L.A.
“It’s a special franchise with an incredible fan base with so much knowledge of women’s basketball,” Miller said regarding the Sun at the time, per ESPN’s Michael Voepel.
“But I’m a builder, and there’s just something so fun about that. And L.A. is in this era right now, a new beginning. I think it’s an opportunity with the Sparks to come in and retool and rebuild it and chase a fourth championship for the franchise.”
Ultimately, it didn’t work out in Los Angeles, although both sides parted public ways amicably.
“I want to thank the entire Sparks organization for the opportunity to lead and help rebuild the franchise,” Miller said, per a team press release.
“I am proud of the culture created in our locker room and strongly believe the roots have been established for a bright future. The team is now positioned for success, and I wish the players the best heading into the 2025 season.”
Governor and Managing Partner Eric Holoman said:
“On behalf of our ownership group and franchise, I would like to thank Coach Miller for his passion and commitment to the Sparks organization these past two seasons. We wish him well moving forward.”
The 55-year-old Miller coached in college from 1991-2014, including stops as Bowling Green and Indiana’s head coach. He moved to the WNBA in 2015 as the Sparks’ assistant coach before leaving for Connecticut.
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