Sparks sign Azurá Stevens, Stephanie Talbot to 1-year contract extensions

LOS ANGELES — The Sparks signed forwards Azurá Stevens and Stephanie Talbot to one-year contract extensions.

Their salaries were not disclosed Thursday.

Stevens is averaging a near career-high 11.3 points while shooting 48.6% from the field and 42.3% from 3-point range in eight games this season. The 6-foot-6 forward is also averaging 6.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game. She missed the team’s first 20 games this season due to an offseason arm injury that required surgery.

The seven-year veteran was selected sixth overall from Connecticut by the Dallas Wings in the 2018 draft. Stevens helped the Chicago Sky win the 2021 WNBA championship. She joined the Sparks after signing a two-year contract during the 2023 free-agency period.

“I’m incredibly excited to continue my journey with the Los Angeles Sparks and keep building with my teammates,” Stevens said. “This organization has believed in and supported me the last two seasons, and I feel grateful for the opportunity to continue to call L.A. home and build something special here.”

Sparks first-year general manager Raegan Pebley said she’s looking forward to Stevens continuing to be an impact player.

“The world gets the privilege of watching Azurá as a competitor on the court,” Pebley said. “We as an organization have the honor of experiencing her full impact. She has poured into this team as a whole and into individuals selflessly. She brings contagious joy, optimism, leadership, toughness and shares in our vision. She believes in others, believes in us and we believe in her.”

Stevens who passed 1,500 career points this season, also has the support of head coach Curt Miller.

“Azurá is a big piece of our future and a joy to coach. She carries with her a championship mentality,” Miller said. “Azurá is a player that provides us with so much flexibility on both ends of the floor because of her tremendous versatility and skill.”

In her first season with the Sparks, the 6-foot-1 Talbot has averaged 4.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while shooting 44.2% from the field and 35% from 3-point range. The 30-year-old Australian ranks eighth in the WNBA in assists-to-turnover ratio this season.

“We are thrilled to announce the extension of Steph Talbot. We have so much evidence that her best days are still ahead of her,” Pebley said. “That is saying something considering the already stellar career in the WNBA, as an Olympian, and in Australia’s WNBL, where she won MVP in 2020. Steph impacts both ends of the floor, on and off the ball, and our culture.”

According to the HerHoopStats WNBA Salary database, the Sparks, who signed three-time All-Star Dearica Hamby to a one-year contract in June, have 10 players under contract for next season including Stevens, Talbot, Hamby, Rae Burrell, Layshia Clarendon, Julie Allemand, Lexie Brown, Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson and Zia Cooke.

Kia Nurse, Li Yueru and Aari McDonald will be free agents. The Sparks currently have a first-round, second-round and third-round pick in the 2025 WNBA draft.

The Sparks (6-22) will play at the Washington Mystics (6-22) at 4:30 p.m. Friday. The game will be nationally televised on ION.