Amid the chaos of a constantly shifting lineup in what’s widely considered a rebuilding year, fans and young players got some reassurance this week. Both Azurá Stevens and Stephanie Talbot, who signed with the Sparks last year, signed 1-year contract extensions, keeping them with the Sparks through the end of the 2025 season.
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Stevens joined the Los Angeles Sparks after two seasons in Dallas and two in Chicago. She made an instant impact, starting in 29 games and averaging 10.8 points and 5.9 rebounds per contest. After missing the first 20 games of the 2024 season with a shoulder injury, Stevens has been a breath of fresh air for the young Sparks. With her length and inside-out presence (she stands at 6’6 and is shooting 42% from deep this year), she’s upped her impact to 11.3 points per game, 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.1 steals on 48.6% shooting, while also filling some of the rim protection void left by Cameron Brink.
When Stevens returned from injury, head coach Curt Miller praised her ability to spread the floor, rebound and noted that “her length is a weapon.” A few games later, he praised her ability to fill the stat sheet, not only rebounding and scoring, but also matching up defensively with talented post players. Sparks teammate Dearica Hamby quipped post game as well, “Thank you to Azurá for getting back and getting healthy,” noting that her defensive role had shifted with the return of her center.
“I’m incredibly excited to continue my journey with the Los Angeles Sparks and keep building with my teammates,” Stevens said in a press release issued by the Sparks. “This organization has believed in and supported me the last two seasons, and I feel grateful for the opportunity to continue to call LA home and build something special here.”
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Talbot, who was slated to begin her play for the Sparks last year, was sidelined with an ACL tear for the entirety of the 2023 season (The Next’s Abby Gordon documented her return to the court). Also in her sixth WNBA season, Talbot is not a prolific scorer, but rather is a strong role player and highly efficient. She shoots a career 43.7% from the floor, and rarely turns the ball over — on the turnover-prone Sparks, she averages only 0.8 turnovers in 16.3 minutes per game, and is eighth in the league in assist-turnover ratio. Despite missing three full games this season (and portions of others) with a nagging right foot injury, Talbot’s contribution has been clear: a composed and experienced versatile forward who is no stranger to a hustle play.
Miller has described Talbot as versatile and tough, and praised her ability to play multiple positions. When Talbot left a game earlier this season after aggravating her injury, he noted that, at the time, she had almost a 2.5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, and provided some of the facilitation that the Los Angeles Sparks were missing amid injuries to the guards. “It doesn’t get talked about, but Steph Talbot is a really good passer, with nine assists from the forward position,” he shared, after Talbot help lift the Sparks over the Aces on July 5.
“I’m glad I found a home in LA with a coaching staff and organization that trust me as much as I trust them,” Talbot said in the Sparks’ press release. “I look forward to helping my teammates and the Sparks return to championship form.”
“There’s a lot of encouraging, positive moments in our franchise,” Miller told reporters ahead of Friday’s match up with the Washington Mystics. “Know that we’re in a build. And know that there’s a big picture down the road.”
