Last Tuesday, the Los Angeles Sparks announced their split with WNBA center Liz Cambage without explanation.
The Sparks are the third team the Australian has played for in the past 5 years after being drafted by the Tulsa Shock in 2011. Cambage battled depression in 2012 and 2013 while playing for the team, and ended up tearing her Achilles’ tendon in 2014.
Eventually, her coach Fred Williams, managed to convince her return to the Shock, which had rebranded to the Dallas Wings. After demanding a trade out of the team, she joined the Las Vegas Aces in 2019 and made it to the semi-finals of the playoffs.
Despite being unable to play during the 2020 season due to COVID-19 related health concerns, she and the Aces made it to the semi-finals again in 2021 before she left as an unrestricted agent.
Then in May of 2022, Cambage joined the Los Angeles Sparks, telling The New York Times that “I’m where I want to be. I’m surrounded by the people I want to be surrounded with, and we’re working hard.”
The current coach, Fred Williams, says that “It was a surprise — I didn’t know what really escalated it…All we can do as an organization is support that and her decisions and just move on.”
Since then, the Sparks have signed Kianna Smith for the rest of the season after being drafted out of the second round at No. 16 overall. “It’s a new day, new atmosphere, for us in this gym,” Williams says.
Cambage has yet to announce her next step.
Sources:
– https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/05/sports/basketball/liz-cambage-los-angeles-sparks.html
– https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/27/sports/basketball/liz-cambage-los-angeles-sparks.html#:~:text=On%20Tuesday%2C%20the%20Sparks%20announced,she%20still%20holds%20the%20W.N.B.A.
– https://sparks.wnba.com/news/los-angeles-sparks-agree-to-contract-divorce-with-liz-cambage/
– https://sparks.wnba.com/news/los-angeles-sparks-sign-kianna-smith-to-rest-of-season-contract/
The Sparks are the third team the Australian has played for in the past 5 years after being drafted by the Tulsa Shock in 2011. Cambage battled depression in 2012 and 2013 while playing for the team, and ended up tearing her Achilles’ tendon in 2014.
Eventually, her coach Fred Williams, managed to convince her return to the Shock, which had rebranded to the Dallas Wings. After demanding a trade out of the team, she joined the Las Vegas Aces in 2019 and made it to the semi-finals of the playoffs.
Despite being unable to play during the 2020 season due to COVID-19 related health concerns, she and the Aces made it to the semi-finals again in 2021 before she left as an unrestricted agent.
Then in May of 2022, Cambage joined the Los Angeles Sparks, telling The New York Times that “I’m where I want to be. I’m surrounded by the people I want to be surrounded with, and we’re working hard.”
The current coach, Fred Williams, says that “It was a surprise — I didn’t know what really escalated it…All we can do as an organization is support that and her decisions and just move on.”
Since then, the Sparks have signed Kianna Smith for the rest of the season after being drafted out of the second round at No. 16 overall. “It’s a new day, new atmosphere, for us in this gym,” Williams says.
Cambage has yet to announce her next step.
Sources:
– https://www.nytimes.com/2022/05/05/sports/basketball/liz-cambage-los-angeles-sparks.html
– https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/27/sports/basketball/liz-cambage-los-angeles-sparks.html#:~:text=On%20Tuesday%2C%20the%20Sparks%20announced,she%20still%20holds%20the%20W.N.B.A.
– https://sparks.wnba.com/news/los-angeles-sparks-agree-to-contract-divorce-with-liz-cambage/
– https://sparks.wnba.com/news/los-angeles-sparks-sign-kianna-smith-to-rest-of-season-contract/
