(East Los Angeles, CA) January 21, 2022 [From The Editor’s Desk]: The WNBA’s 26th season is just around the corner, and L.A. Sparks fans couldn’t be more excited and more anxious to see the return of one of the League’s most popular teams as they take to the floor of their newly-named, Crypto.com Arena. 

With that said, it’s time to share the great news that the young, and outstanding backcourt player/point guard, Te’a Cooper will once again wear the #2 Sparks uniform. This will mark her third season with the team and Head Coach, Derek Fisher, will be expecting more from her in terms of leadership and season-long contributions that will keep them atop their division. This will be quite a different season with all of the changes that have been approved by the Owners and are now just waiting to be implemented. Read more about Te’a’s re-signing below in the press announcement just released by the team’s Communications Department.

SPARKS RE-SIGN TE’A COOPER

LOS ANGELES (Jan. 21, 2022) – The WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks announced the re-signing of guard Te’a Cooper after she accepted a qualifying offer. In 2021, Cooper appeared in (31) games, averaged (9.1) points per game, and (1.4) assists in (22.0) minutes per game, shooting (32.4%) on 3-pointers.

 Cooper had several standout performances in 2021, including recording a career-high (26) points on June 24, 2021 to lift the Sparks to an (89-82) victory over the Washington Mystics. She scored in double-figures (13) times and hit the (20-point) mark three times. Cooper also played a significant role in the Sparks No. 3 defense with her high energy and defensive pressure. 

“Te’a took on a bigger role for us last season and showed significant growth on both ends of the floor,” General Manager/Head Coach Derek Fisher said. “Her ability to disrupt the game defensively as well as attack the basket on the offensive end will be important for us moving forward. We’re confident she’ll continue to elevate her game and be an impact player in this league.”

Off the court, Cooper continues her ascension as an influential voice in women’s sports, leading the WNBA with over 3.5 million followers across all Social Media platforms. According to Sports Pro Media, she’s the 17^th most marketable athlete in the world and has a partnership with Jumpman, Nike’s Jordan Brand.

Cooper finished her collegiate career at Baylor University and was drafted 18th overall in the 2020 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. She was waived on May 26, 2020 prior to the WNBA bubble. The Sparks then signed her on June 28, 2020 for her rookie season and re-signed her on January 11, 2021 after her strong rookie campaign.     

Cooper had several standout performances in 2021, including recording a career-high (26) points on June 24, 2021 to lift the Sparks to an (89-82) victory over the Washington Mystics. She scored in double-figures (13) times and hit the (20-point) mark three times. Cooper also played a significant role in the Sparks No. 3 defense with her high energy and defensive pressure. 

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During this past 2021 off-season, the Sparks and Cooper successfully conducted an extraordinary outreach program at the Culver City based “C-Spot.” Fans of all ages learned a “Tik Tok” friendly dance taught by choreographers and members of the Sparks Crew. Cooper learned the dance for the first time and interacted with fans in attendance. Each registered participant was entered to win a Te’a Cooper autographed pair of Jordan’s. To view that story, click here.                              

A reminder that Sparks Season Ticket packages and Single Game Tickets are NOW on sale. The Sparks schedule has been published and can easily be seen on their website at sparks.wnba.com