LOS ANGELES — Despite missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season, Sparks head coach Lynne Roberts believes her team has a lot to play for, especially with the franchise’s all-time leading scorer Nneka Ogwumike a mere four games away from retiring from the WNBA.

“Four wins,” Roberts said, “we want those. So we’re always going to compete to win. I don’t know how to coach any other way. I think Nneka (Ogwumike) deserves that for us to play our best, coach our best for her in these last four games of what’s been an incredible career.”

The Sparks (15-25) will be on the road in their first game after the WNBA paused for nearly three weeks for the FIBA World Cup, taking on the Dallas Wings, who have already clinched one of the league’s eight playoff spots.

However, the Wings, who are currently in eighth place, are battling for playoff seeding with the New York Liberty and Washington Mystics. All three teams have 24-16 records, but the Liberty and Mystics hold tiebreakers over the Wings.

After trying to play spoiler against Dallas, the Sparks will host the Portland Fire on Sunday, play at the playoff-bound Las Vegas Aces on Tuesday, then conclude their 44-game slate at home against the playoff-bound Golden State Valkyries net Thursday (Sept. 24).

SPARKS’ NYE READY FOR 4TH WNBA CHANCE

Roberts said the Sparks plan to play the team’s reserve players more and give opportunities to new players like guard Aaliyah Nye, whom the team claimed off waivers on Aug. 29.

“Obviously, we want to play our bench and play everybody,” Roberts said. “And just compete like hell. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

The team waived fan-favorite guard Kate Martin to sign Nye, a 2025 second-round draft pick by Las Vegas. Nye averaged 15 minutes per game as the Aces won the 2025 WNBA championship.

“I’m just blessed to get another opportunity here with the Sparks,” Nye said.

The Toronto Tempo selected her in the 2026 expansion draft and waived her during training camp in May. The 6-foot 3-point shooting specialist then signed with the Atlanta Dream but averaged just 0.7 points before they waived her after signing veteran forward DeWanna Bonner, before she landed in Los Angeles.

“Obviously, this is not how I wanted it to go, but I’m just being optimistic about everything,” Nye continued.

Roberts said the last four games will also be an opportunity for newly signed rookie developmental contract players, former Vanderbilt guard Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda and former Maryland guard Shyanne Sellers, to get some minutes. Mwenentanda and Sellers are both expected to play in two of the last four games, Roberts said.

“I think I’m going to have some jitters at first, but I think I’m going to embrace the moment and try to be helpful to the team,” said Sellers, who was drafted 17th overall by Golden State in the second round of the 2025 draft but was waived during training camp.

Mwenentanda, an undrafted member of the league’s 2026 rookie class, signed a training camp contract with Golden State but was waived during training camp before signing a replacement contract and playing in five games between May 8 and June 2. However, the 6-3 guard, who grew up in South Dakota, is still eager to score her first points in the WNBA.

“One of my goals as a rookie is, whenever I get in,” Mwenentanda said, “obviously I’m not searching for buckets, but at least to score this rookie season before I go into next year.”

Dallas forward Alanna Smith, who played for Australia in the World Cup, will miss Thursday’s game with a leg injury. Wings All-Star guard Paige Bueckers is averaging 20.6 points and 5.9 assists per game.

The Sparks, who are led by Ogwumike’s 17.2 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, have no players listed on their injury report.

SPARKS (15-25) AT WINGS (24-16)

When: Thursday, 5 p.m.

Where: College Park Center, Arlington, Texas

TV: USA, Spectrum SportsNet