The Los Angeles Sparks have found their next general manager, and the hire comes from an unexpected corner of the basketball world. Ariana Andonian, currently the Philadelphia 76ers’ vice president of player personnel, will take over as the Sparks’ top decision-maker, the team announced. Andonian joined the Sixers in September 2024 and previously held front-office roles with the Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets, giving her a well-rounded resume in NBA scouting and personnel management heading into her first WNBA general manager position.
Andonian described the move as a return home, noting her excitement to lead a franchise in Southern California. She said stepping into the role felt like a rare opportunity, framing the transition as a chance to build something lasting for the organization.
A Franchise Searching for Direction
The hire comes after the Sparks parted ways with former general manager Reagan Pebley in July, kicking off a search for new leadership. The timing matters: Los Angeles hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2019, when the team fell in the first round to the Connecticut Sun, and the Sparks haven’t appeared in a WNBA Finals since 2017. Six straight seasons without a postseason berth have piled pressure on an organization that once carried championship expectations. A string of general managers and head coaches have cycled through without finding a formula that works, leaving Andonian to inherit a rebuild rather than a contender.
One bright spot on the horizon is a new $150 million practice facility slated to open in 2027, part of a broader trend of WNBA franchises investing in modern infrastructure for players.
Ownership Questions Loom Over the Move
Andonian’s decision to leave Philadelphia, where the Sixers currently have championship-caliber talent, for a rebuilding Sparks team raises its own questions, especially given ongoing scrutiny of the Sparks’ ownership group. Investigative journalist Pablo Torre has continued to report on scrutiny facing Dodgers and Sparks owners Mark Walter, Magic Johnson, and Eric Holoman, adding a layer of uncertainty to the franchise’s off-court situation even as it tries to reset on the court.
A History of Missed Opportunities
Andonian steps into a front office with a mixed recent draft and trade record. The Sparks selected Rae Burrell ninth overall in 2022, then added Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson with the second and fourth picks in 2024, but passed on Angel Reese, who has since developed into a star, now producing for the Atlanta Dream after an offseason trade from Chicago.
The team’s decision to trade its 2025 second-overall pick for two-time champion Kelsey Plum also backfired. The pairing was meant to boost the Sparks’ profile in a crowded Los Angeles sports market, but it unraveled within a season and a half, ending with Plum traded to the Phoenix Mercury. Had the pick stayed in Los Angeles, the Sparks might have landed prospects like Dominique Malonga or Kiki Iriafen. Jackson, meanwhile, was later traded for veteran guard Ariel Atkins in a deal that returned no future draft compensation, puzzling fans and analysts alike.
What Comes Next
Notably, reported candidates such as Swin Cash, Pokey Chattman, and Eli Horowitz were not contacted for the position, according to league sources — a decision some view as a missed chance to bring in candidates with deeper WNBA-specific experience.
Key questions remain unanswered: how much authority will Andonian have over coaching and roster decisions, will head coach Lynne Roberts stay in place, and how will she coordinate with team president Stacy Johns? The Sparks will also be competing for attention as the WNBA expands, with new franchises in Toronto, Portland, and a reborn Houston Comets joining the mix, plus a loaded 2027 draft class that could include college stars Juju Watkins and Hannah Hidalgo.
For now, the Sparks are betting on Andonian’s front-office pedigree to turn around a franchise that has struggled to match its market size and legacy. Whether that bet pays off will take time to determine, but the pressure to deliver results starts immediately.
