The Los Angeles Sparks are quietly crushing free agency.

All eyes have been on the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces – rightfully so – as they put together All-Star rosters. But the Sparks are creating their own strong squad.

The new-look Los Angeles team may not lead to the instant titles New York and Las Vegas fans are anticipating. Still, after missing the playoffs the last two seasons, the Sparks are getting back on track.

A historic WNBA franchise with three titles, LA has not been the same since the 2021 offseason. Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray left during free agency, and then a series of bad decisions by former coach Derek Fisher plagued the team.

But in 2023, things are looking up.

New coach Curt Miller has signed impactful free agents and traded for an All-Star, and he is expected to re-sign two other top players.

The first headline-grabbing move Miller made was bringing 12-year veteran guard Jasmine Thomas with him from Connecticut to LA. Thomas missed most of last season for the Sun with an ACL injury, but now that she’s healthy, the 33-year-old makes a great addition to the Sparks roster.

Thomas had been consistent over the last few seasons prior to her injury, and she’s a high IQ guard that makes good decisions on both ends of the court. In 2021, the Duke product averaged 10.6 points, 4.1 assists and 1.3 steals for the Sun.

📍 𝐋𝐨𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬 is the place to be #LetsGoSparks pic.twitter.com/sRZkaUbCEj

— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) February 3, 2023

Then came the biggest move for the Sparks: The Dearica Hamby trade. The deal was overshadowed by controversy regarding the Aces’ treatment of Hamby, who claims she was traded because she was pregnant.

But strictly from a personnel basis, this was a win for LA. Hamby is a two-time All-Star and two-time sixth player of the year. She’s versatile and played a variety of roles during her time with Las Vegas. Now Hamby says she’s looking forward to stepping out of that “sixth player” box and contributing in bigger ways. Hamby averaged 9.3 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.1 steals and 1.1 assists last season as she helped the Aces to a title.

The Sparks also signed Azurá Stevens, a player poised for stardom. The 27-year-old forward spent the last three seasons playing for a stacked Chicago Sky team. Even while sharing minutes with the likes of Candace Parker and Emma Meesseman, Stevens was a major contributor. Last season she averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game.

itssss officiallll 💛💛 soooo excited for this new chapter in my career 😊 what’s uppppppp LA 💜🤪 pic.twitter.com/u0yaljUsRC

— azurá b. stevens (@stevens_azura) February 3, 2023

And while Miller is making it a priority to bring in new talent, he’s also not neglecting who LA already has: Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike.

Nneka was the brightest spot in a dim season for LA in 2022, averaging 18.1 points (the third most of her 11-year career), 6.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.5 assists in her first All-Star season since 2019.

Chiney was a key contributor off the bench for LA last season, putting up 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. Just a year earlier, the 30-year-old had back-to-back injuries: a microfracture in her right knee and a torn left Achilles. A healthy Chiney is capable of being much more than a role player, as the former rookie of the year averaged 14.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game before being hampered by injuries and missing nearly three full seasons.

The Ogwumike are free agents this offseasons, but both have made their intentions to re-sign with the Sparks clear.

Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs is in the books, with the top two seeds putting up more than 100 points each in blowout wins when the postseason tipped off on Sunday.

The No. 1 Minnesota Lynx opened the playoffs' eight-team first round with a 101-72 drubbing of the No. 8 Golden State Valkyries, as MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier led scoring with 20 points while guard Natisha Hiedeman added 18 off the bench.

Elsewhere, the No. 2 Las Vegas Aces' 102-77 victory over the No. 7 Seattle Storm capped Sunday's slate, with reigning MVP A'ja Wilson leading the way with 29 points alongside double-digit performances off the bench from guards Jewell Loyd and Dana Evans.

The lower seeds walked away less unscathed, as Valkyries boss and Coach of the Year favorite Natalie Nakase picked up a technical foul for arguing a call in the game's second half.

"I want a fair fight, I really do. I want a clean fight, but I love the fact that both teams are playing their hearts out," she said afterwards, criticizing Sunday's officiating. "They're fighting. But I would like it to be fair."

"I understand it, but it's the playoffs," Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve said in response. "Obviously, we fouled a lot at the end. But I didn't think that was a factor in the game."

How to watch the top seeds in Game 2 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs

Both Minnesota and Las Vegas are now one win away from advancing to the 2025 WNBA Playoffs semifinals.

The No. 2 Aces will look to sweep the No. 7 Storm at 9:30 PM ET on Tuesday, airing live on ESPN.

Then on Wednesday, the No. 1 Lynx will try to silence the No. 8 Valkyries at 10 PM ET, with live coverage also on ESPN.

The No. 5 New York Liberty secured the sole upset in the Sunday tip-off of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, topping the No. 4 Phoenix Mercury 76-69 following a tightly contested Game 1 overtime battle.

Liberty guard Natasha Cloud dropped a game-leading 23 points on her former team, while Mercury star Alyssa Thomas neared yet another triple-double with 14 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists on the night.

"I'm proud of the way we stuck together, we weathered the runs they went on, and ultimately found a way to win," New York guard Sabrina Ionescu said after the game.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

The newly healthy Liberty will hope for full availability in Game 2, though forward Breanna Stewart went down with a knock to the knee in overtime after posting an 18-point performance on Sunday.

"We're just hoping that she will be okay," New York head coach Sandy Brondello said after the game.

Brondello also confirmed that it was Stewart who asked for a sub in overtime after coming down hard on her left knee.

Concerns about the health of the two-time WNBA MVP — who recently returned from missing 13 games with a bone bruise on her right knee — overshadowed the defending champions' comeback win.

How to watch Phoenix vs. New York in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs

The No. 5 Liberty now return to New York looking to knock the No. 4 Mercury out of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs with a Game 2 victory on Wednesday.

The matchup tips off at 8 PM ET, with live coverage airing on ESPN.

The No. 3 Atlanta Dream won their first postseason game since 2018 on Sunday, downing the No. 6 Indiana Fever 80-68 in Game 1 of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs as they continue making a case for this season's dark horse.

The Dream's starters shouldered the bulk of Sunday's scoring, punctuated by 20-point performances from forward Rhyne Howard and guard Allisha Gray, while the Fever's Kelsey Mitchell put up 27 points to give her injury-laden team a chance.

"This is [this roster's] first home game, period, in the playoffs," Howard reminded reporters after the win. "So for us to even have accomplished that much to have the home-court advantage, we knew we had to make it a good one."

Atlanta hasn't made it past the first round since the 2016 playoffs, but a dominant regular season has the team eyeing a long-awaited return to the WNBA semifinals.

This year's Dream won a franchise-record 30 games under first-year head coach Karl Smesko, while also leading the league in rebounds per game.

"This wasn't going to be a year that we were going to be satisfied with everybody telling us, 'Wow, you really improved over last year,'" said Smesko. "That's not what we're trying to do. We're trying to be the best team in the league."

How to watch Atlanta vs. Indiana in the 2025 WNBA Playoffs

The short-staffed No. 6 Indiana will look to halt the No. 6 Atlanta Dream's momentum on Tuesday, when the first round's Game 2 takes over Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the Fever's first home playoff game since 2016.

The 2025 WNBA Playoffs will continue when the Dream visit the Fever at 7:30 PM ET on Tuesday, airing live on ESPN.

Jaedyn Shaw hit the ground running in her Gotham FC debut this weekend, as the NJ/NY club's recent $1.25 million-dollar signing scored against her former club in Friday's 2-0 win over the now-No. 5 San Diego Wave — helping boost the Bats to No. 3 in the 2025 NWSL standings.

"This year has been really difficult," an emotional Shaw said after the match. "I'm so grateful for this team and the opportunities I've gotten this year…. I'm extremely grateful for this moment."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Just Women’s Sports (@justwomenssports)

The 20-year-old previously shattered scoring records during her time with San Diego, but struggled this year after her offseason transfer to the North Carolina Courage.

Already finding the back of the net for her new team, Shaw will look to put the past behind her as Gotham extends their climb up the table, having risen from No. 8 to No. 3 behind a four-game unbeaten streak that now includes three straight wins.

Gotham forward Esther González is also excelling, retaking the lead in the 2025 NWSL Golden Boot race by tallying her 13th goal of the season in the last minute of Friday's first half against the Wave.

With the club gaining momentum and the 2025 NWSL Playoffs looming, Gotham is looking to make a run to add a second championship trophy to their 2023 title.

"Even in the most difficult moments, they've stayed united, kept pushing together, and kept working hard. That's been our key," said head coach Juan Carlos Amorós after Friday's match.