(East Los Angeles, CA) [From The Editor’s Desk]: The Los Angeles Sparks recently completed their 2023 season with a decent amount of team success, ending with an overall record of (17-23), good for 4th place in the WNBA’s Western Conference, and coming close for consideration of a postseason playoff spot. The team finished behind the Minnesota Lynx (19-21) and ahead of the Seattle Storm (11-29) and the Phoenix Mercury (9-31).

Head Coach Curt Miller and his team simply could not competitively contend for an entire season with nearly half of its roster  unavailable to play due to the rash of some very serious injuries sustained by “key” starters and a mixture of notable reserve players.

However, on the individual player side of the season’s evaluations, a fact that gives much hope and expectations for next season, is  that two major performers earned All-WNBA honors and awards for their greatly fan-approved, and much-appreciated consistent play. They just so happen to be, #21/Point Guard, Jordin Canada, and Team Captain, Forward and Center, #30 Nneka Ogwumike.

Let’s give you a picture of why they were voted to their acclaimed recognition by looking at the announcement published by the team’s Communications staff.

 Jordin Canada and Nneka Ogwumike Selected to WNBA All-Defensive Team

Canada Earns First Team Honors; Ogwumike Named to Second Team

LOS ANGELES – The WNBA announced on September 22nd that Jordin Canada has earned 2023 WNBA All-Defensive First Team honors and Nneka Ogwumike has earned Second Team honors. 

“I’m excited for both Jordin and Nneka to be recognized for their outstanding defensive performances this season,” Head Coach Curt Miller said. “They spearheaded our disruptive philosophy and helped us establish our defensive foundation for the future.”

Canada has been selected to the All-Defensive First Team for the second time in her career. She led the league with 2.3 steals per game, guiding a Sparks defense that led the WNBA in steals. In 2023, Canada set the Sparks single-season steals record with 86 steals, passing Alana Beard’s record of 71 set in 2017. 

Ogwumike was selected to the All-Defensive Team for the sixth time in her career. In 2023, she set the all-time steals record in Sparks franchise history. She finished sixth per game in both steals (1.7) and rebounds (8.8).

“Jordin is a relentless defender and was tasked with defending the opponent’s best perimeter guard each game, cementing herself as one of the premier guard defenders in the league,” Miller added. “Nneka was our anchor in the post, having one of her best defensive rebounding seasons of her career, while continuing her standard of excellence on the defensive end.”

As a team, the Sparks ranked fourth in the league in Defensive Rating and were the No. 1 defense in the league post All-Star Break.

–  WNBA FINALS SET TO START –

Here’s a good reminder to all of our followers that the WNBA Finals are set to get underway between the New York Liberty and the Las Vegas Aces on Sunday, October 8th in Las Vegas. Tip-off is slated for 12:00 pm, Pacific Time. The game will be aired across ESPN and ABC.