Sparks bring back familiar face to boost playoff push

Rodney Knuppel

Sparks bring back familiar face to boost playoff push image

Latricia Trammell is back with the Los Angeles Sparks. On Tuesday, the team announced that the veteran coach has been hired as Special Assistant to Head Coach Lynne Roberts.

WNBA vet Latricia Trammell returns to Sparks in new coaching role

Trammell previously worked with the Sparks from 2019 to 2022 as a defensive assistant. During that stretch, she helped shape one of the league’s stingiest defenses, playing a key role in Candace Parker winning Defensive Player of the Year in 2020. Nneka Ogwumike and Brittney Sykes also earned All-Defensive First Team selections under her guidance, while Sykes added two Second Team honors.

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Now, after a two-year stint as head coach of the Dallas Wings, Trammell rejoins a franchise she’s already helped build.

“I’m truly thankful to return to the Sparks,” Trammell said. “This organization means a lot to me. I believe in its vision, and I’m excited to help this team compete at the highest level.”

Before her time in Los Angeles and Dallas, Trammell began her WNBA journey in San Antonio, where she coached players like Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum. Her coaching resume also includes a long career at the high school and college levels from 1994 to 2017.

Head Coach Lynne Roberts praised the hire, noting that Trammell brings both knowledge and leadership to the staff.

“We’re thrilled to welcome LT to the coaching team,” Roberts said. “Her experience and basketball mind are a major asset as we gear up for a playoff run.”

Trammell’s return is the latest in a series of moves by the Sparks to strengthen their coaching unit. Earlier this year, the team added Mike Neighbors, Sed Everett, Nikki Blue, and Zak Buncik, reinforcing their focus on staff depth as the season progresses.

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Rodney Knuppel

Rodney Knuppel is a freelance writer for The Sporting News. When not watching, listening or writing about sports, Rodney enjoys following the travels of his three kids, who are all active in their own sports and activities. A huge St. Louis Cardinals fan, Rodney also enjoys St. Louis Blues hockey and is a big Kansas Jayhawks basketball fan.