Seimone Augustus.
For the past 15 seasons, Augustus has been well known around the WNBA with her quick crossover and ability to get a basket at all three levels. For the majority of her career — last season she joined the LA Sparks during free agency — she was a pivotal piece for the Minnesota Lynx. In fact, she helped the franchise win four championships in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017.
But, as the saying goes, all good things come to end. For Augustus, her time as a dominant player in the WNBA is over: Seimone Augustus has retired.
The four-time champion announced she won’t be suiting up for the LA Sparks again this year however, she will still be on the sidelines for the purple and gold. Augustus will be an assistant coach for the Sparks under head coach Derek Fisher. She will join Latricia Trammell and Fred Williams who are the other two assistant coaches.
“Seimone Augustus is one of the greatest basketball players to ever step foot on a court,” expressed Fisher. “It’s been an amazing honor to work with her over the past year and we’re excited to add all of her wisdom to our coaching staff.”
Yes, one chapter is concluding for her but another is just beginning. The move is a good one for Los Angeles and a transition a handful of players have made. To name a couple, Rebekkah Brunson, who was a teammate to Augustus while at Minnesota, has retired but serves as an assistant now for the Lynx. Katie Smith had a run in the league and now is an assistant (also with the Lynx).
In-depth, it’s a good move for the Sparks because Augustus is an experienced player. Not only were the women her teammates last year, being a veteran in the league, but she’s also well respected. Plus, LA is adding a championship-caliber player to the coaching staff. Augustus knows what it takes to win — she has four titles under her belt which many players cannot compete with. Furthermore, she has helped Team US win at the global level as well with three Olympic Gold Medals.
“It’s an honor to continue to serve the game that has given me so much,” Augustus said. “I’m excited to join the Sparks staff and look forward to developing in this new role.”
Augustus retires as 10th in WNBA scoring (6,005 points) and the seventh-best field goal percentage at 48% on her career. In her career, she finished with career averages of 3.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. She also shot 36.4% on 3-pointers for her career.
The former No. 1 draft pick from 2006 will start her assistant coaching role on May 14 against the Dallas Wings.
