Sparks Open Preseason With Dominant 89-63 Win Over Nigeria

April 25, 2026

The Los Angeles Sparks didn't come to San Diego to play around.

In their first game of the 2026 preseason, the Sparks put on a show at the University of San Diego Basketball Performance Center dismantling the Nigerian Women's National Team 89-63 in a performance that had me feeling very good about what this team is building. New faces, new energy, same result. Los Angeles looked like a team that has been waiting all offseason to get back on the court.

And honestly? It showed.

Kelsey Plum came home and she was NOT playing

Plum is from Poway right down the road from San Diego and she made sure everybody in that building remembered it. The Sparks new cornerstone dropped a game high 22 points in just 21 minutes of play, going 6 for 11 from the field, 4 for 8 from three, and a perfect 6 for 6 from the free throw line. She also added two steals. In 21 minutes. Playing in front of her hometown crowd in a Sparks uniform for the first time.

Photo Credit: Alishia Stevens

Cameron Brink is healthy and she means business

This is the storyline I've been watching all offseason and I cannot tell you how good it was to see Cameron Brink on that court looking like herself. She posted 10 points on 4 for 5 shooting, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. The Stanford alum opened the game by hitting two back to back jumpers in under 30 seconds to push the lead to 12-0. That's the Cameron Brink this league has been waiting to see. A healthy Brink changes everything for Los Angeles and today was the first proof of concept.

Ariel Atkins made her Sparks debut and was immediately herself

The newest Spark wasted absolutely no time. Atkins scored her first basket as a Spark a three pointer off a Kelsey Plum assist at the 9:09 mark of the first quarter. She finished with eight points on 3 for 5 shooting, six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and zero turnovers. Zero. That last number is the one that tells you everything about who Ariel Atkins is as a player. Efficient, locked in, and exactly what this team needed.

Erica Wheeler ran the show

Wheeler was everywhere. She finished with a game high seven assists and zero turnovers in the opening half alone yes, zero turnovers on seven dimes. She added four points on her lone field goal attempt. That kind of quiet, steady, mistake free playmaking is exactly what a team needs from a guard. Wheeler is going to be a really valuable piece for this Sparks squad.

The rookies showed out

This is where it gets fun. The Sparks have three draft picks competing for roster spots and all three made their presence felt in their first game as Sparks.

But let me start with what really caught my eye the chemistry between Chance Gray and Ta'Niya Latson. These two just met and they already look like they've been playing together for years. The way they were moving off each other, finding each other in rhythm, communicating on the fly that's not something you can coach in a week. That's just two basketball players who understand the game at a high level and naturally complement each other. Gray is the shooter who can create off the dribble, Latson is the playmaker who sees the floor and puts people in position. Together they just make sense. Keep an eye on that duo because if that chemistry carries into the regular season, opposing teams are going to have a real problem on their hands.

Photo Credit: Alishia Stevens

Photo Credit: Alishia Stevens

Chance Gray was electric off the bench 14 points on 5 for 10 shooting and 4 for 8 from three, including 11 points in the fourth quarter alone. She was aggressive, confident, and looked completely comfortable at this level from minute one. That's a rookie who belongs.

Ta'Niya Latson had her moments too scoring her first WNBA points with a three point play in the third quarter and then finishing with six assists, all of them coming in the fourth quarter. Six fourth quarter assists as a rookie in your first preseason game? That's special.

Amelia Hassett got her first steal as a Spark in the second quarter and hit her first points a three pointer off a Latson assist in the fourth. The 6'4" Kentucky forward is competing hard for a spot and she looked the part today.

The bigger picture

This game made history too. It was just the second WNBA game ever played in San Diego the first since the Sparks hosted the Chinese Women's National Team back on May 1, 2010. And playing Nigeria was significant Los Angeles has the largest Nigerian community in California with nearly 7,000 people, and that community showed up.

Thirteen Sparks players saw action. Six made their team debut. The team shot 49.2 percent from the field and 95.2 percent from the free throw line. They went on a 12-0 run to open the game and never really looked back.

My take

I've been telling you all offseason that the LA Sparks are a different team this year. Today was the first piece of evidence. Plum was dominant. Brink looked healthy and hungry. Atkins fit in immediately. The rookies contributed right away. And the whole thing felt like a team that knows exactly what it's doing and why.

The regular season opens May 1. The league better be ready because the Sparks look like they mean business in 2026.

Final: Los Angeles Sparks 89, Nigerian Women's National Team 63