The basketball gods seem to have a vendetta against the Sparks.
For the second consecutive year, Los Angeles came one pick shy of the top spot in the WNBA draft, leaving the team in disbelief in a video that was posted on social media.
At a watch party for the draft lottery that was airing on Sunday, Sparks players looked on as it was announced that they had gotten the second overall pick in the 2025 draft.
The prize in this year’s draft is the right to likely pick UConn superstar Paige Bueckers with the first selection, which belongs to the Wings.
An audible groan could be heard from the room and Cameron Brink — the team’s pick at No. 2 in the 2024 draft was so stunned she sat there with her mouth open in shock.
Someone could also be heard in the background saying, “Seriously?”
What made it more painful was the Sparks had the worst record in the league last season at 8-32, giving them a 44.2 percent chance of securing the No. 1 pick. The Wings and Sky both had a 22.7 percent chance for a shot to draft Bueckers, who is expected to be a potential superstar in the WNBA after she finishes college.
Paige Bueckers is expected to be a top pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. Getty Images
Last year, the Sparks missed the chance to pick Caitlin Clark after ending up with the second overall pick.
They used that to take Stanford standout out Brink, who averaged 7.5 points per game and 5.3 assists per game before her season was cut short due to a torn ACL.
The team seemed to allude to Brink in their post on X after getting the second overall pick.
“Our No. 2 pick worked out well last year!” they wrote.
“We’re ecstatic to land the No. 2 pick in this draft and have the opportunity to add a dynamic player to our organization,” LA Sparks Chief Administrative Officer and General Manager Karen Bryant said in a statement. “Our basketball staff is already hard at work evaluating and preparing for what will be a very special draft day, with two first-round picks. Today marks a huge step for our franchise as we continue to build the LA Sparks back towards contention.”
Paige Bueckers dribbles against the North Carolina Tar Heels at First Horizon Coliseum on November 15, 2024 in Greensboro, North Carolina. Getty Images
Bueckers is sure to help a Wings team that has gone through a bit of change this offseason as they fired head coach Latricia Trammel and added Curt Miller as their general manager.
“I hope she goes to a team that she is exactly what they need, whatever that team is,” UConn coach Geno Auriemma said in October, according to ESPN. “Paige is going to be all right wherever she goes.”
Bueckers has publically said that this would be her final year at UConn despite still having one more year of eligibility.
The 2025 WNBA Draft is scheduled to take place on April 14.