Change is always happening in the WNBA and now the Los Angeles Sparks are being involved. In a surprise announcement, the Sparks’ head coach, Brian Agler, has stepped down at the head coach of the franchise.
“We’d like to thank Brian for his contributions to the Sparks organization over the last four seasons, including helping the team win the 2016 title,” Executive Vice President and General Manager Penny Toler said in a statement. “We wish Brian nothing but the best moving forward.”
The team announced an immediate search for the replacement of Agler.
Agler has been with Los Angeles since 2015. In 2016, he helped lead the Sparks to win the WNBA Championship. Last year Los Angeles went 19-15 after falling to Washington in the second round.
Overall, Agler complied an 85-51 record and played in the playoffs all four years.
Before Agler took over the coaching position with the Sparks, he spent seven years with the Seattle Storm. The Storm won the WNBA Championship in 2010 under Agler. From 1999-2002 he coached the Minnesota Lynx and was an assistant with the Phoenix Mercury and now debunked San Antonio Stars.
Agler currently is the all-time winningest coach in U.S. women’s professional basketball with 315 regular-season wins.
The Sparks will not be the only team with a new coach next year in the WNBA. The Chicago Sky have hired James Wade as its head coach after firing Amber Stocks. During the playoffs, the Dallas Wings released Fred Williams and have yet to announce a new head coach as its search continues.
