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2002 Results: The Sparks finished 25-7 (.781, first in the West) and won their second-straight WNBA championship. Roster | Stats | 2003 Schedule Purchase Sparks Tickets Now! WNBA 2003 Season Preview

2003 Probable Starters: C: Lisa Leslie PF: DeLisha Milton SF: Mwadi Mabika SG: Tamecka Dixon PG: Nikki Teasley

2003 Draft Results: Rd. 2: Schuye LaRue Rd. 3: Mary Jo Noon D.D.*: Jackie Stiles

2002 Leaders: Pts. Lisa Leslie, 16.9 ppg Reb. Lisa Leslie, 10.4 rpg Asst. Nikki Teasley, 4.4 apg Blocks Lisa Leslie, 2.90 bpg Steals DeLisha Milton, 1.56 spg

Head Coach: Michael Cooper enters his fourth season with the team, and has an 81-15 (.844) career coaching record.

They Said It: "At the beginning, I was more shy and bashful, just trying to make sure that everybody was happy. But as time went on I realized how important it was for the Sparks to repeat and how important the game is to everybody else." --Teasley, on starting as a rookie last season

(*-Denotes "Dispersal Draft")

Let the quest for number three begin.

Leslie

In looking to win their third-straight title, the Los Angeles Sparks will be hard-pressed to top the excitement that was generated in the 2002 season. Last year saw everything from coach Michael Cooper challenging his team to go undefeated, to a Lisa Leslie dunk (the first in women's professional basketball history), to a rookie point guard running the show, to a perfect 6-0 run through the postseason.

So could motivation be a problem for this club heading into 2003? Not likely, so long as they have perennial All-Star Lisa Leslie in the post. The Sparks' fiery leader was her usual, dominant self in the middle last season (16.9 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.90 bpg), and should be expected to dominate once again this season.

Leslie's supporting cast is unchanged as well. Tamecka Dixon teams with second-year point guard Nikki Teasley to give L.A. an athletic backcourt that likes to take the action to the opposition. Perimeter player Mwadi Mabika is an excellent three-point shooter (64-for-175 from three-point range last season) whose excellent offensive game complements Leslie very well. And DeLisha Milton gives the team additional strength down low.

Also worth noting when it comes to the Sparks' fortunes for the coming season is the return of Cynthia Cooper in Houston. Cooper's return could serve as added motivation to the Sparks, as Cooper helped lead the Comets to four-straight titles. Her return gives the Sparks a chance to beat the best, something that certainly isn't lost on coach Michael Cooper's squad.

On May 1, the Sparks acquired WNBA veteran and former Phoenix Mercury center Jennifer Gillom. Averaging 15.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 1.3 apg over her WNBA career, Gillom enters her seventh season in the league as the second leading scorer in WNBA history behind now Sparks teammate, Lisa Leslie. In the 2002 season, Gillom led the Mercury in scoring for the fourth consecutive season and tied for the 11th spot among top scorers in the league. She also finished among the top 15 in the WNBA’s three-point department.

Perhaps the most intriguing subplot heading into the new season will be the addition of former Portland guard Jackie Stiles. The 2001 Rookie of the Year suffered through injuries last season, and because of that, she lasted until the final pick of the dispersal draft, where the Sparks selected her. The wildly popular guard is coming off of offseason surgery on her wrist and ankle, but all signs indicate that she'll be back to full strength this season.

In the 2003 Draft, the Sparks took Scuye LaRue. The 6-3 LaRue had two great years at Virginia before heading off to Europe to play professionally. While it's not certain whether L.A. will be able to sign her for this season, she's certainly a talented player who could further strengthen the Sparks in the low post.

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