Sparks, Cooper Ready for More
The only thing more unusual than a championship team still asking for fan support is its coach asking to come back for another season.
After about 500 people cheered the Sparks at City Hall Wednesday for their victory over the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA finals, Coach Michael Cooper said he’s eager to begin negotiations on a new contract now that his two-year deal has expired.
In those two seasons, the Sparks put together a 56-8 record, culminating in their first championship.
Cooper’s success with the Sparks has prompted talk of him joining the NBA coaching ranks. But Wednesday he was focused on the Sparks.
“The season’s over with now, and I’m just looking to try to get something done as quickly as we can,” Cooper said. “For me, time is of the essence. The ball’s in their court now.”
Spark President Johnny Buss said he plans to meet with Cooper’s agent, Marni Colbert, today.
“All indications are that [Cooper] wants to come back, and I want him back,” Buss said. “The whole thing is, how long can I keep him here? Hopefully we’ll work out a long-term commitment for both of us.
“It’ll all get settled very quickly, I’m sure. I just hope it’s for long-term.”
Spark star Lisa Leslie hopes so too. She called Cooper “the nucleus of the nucleus.”
“I think he’s the center of everything for us,” she said.
She credits him for the team’s defensive intensity, and instilling respect of the Sparks in their opponents.
“He has brought so much out of my game on an individual basis, but he brings the best out of each player and he’s able to put it all together,” Leslie said. “I think that’s important.”
Wednesday was the time to celebrate this team’s accomplishments. There were some benefits to having such a small crowd. No traffic disruptions, for one. When Mayor James K. Hahn decided to share the bounty of his bet with Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory-10 dozen Krispy Kreme donuts-with the fans, there were enough for everybody.
But in between the impromptu songs and dances (all much smoother than Mark Madsen), the Sparks were continuing to beat the drum for more fans.
“Come back and support us next year,” Ukari Figgs said. “And bring some friends.”
Rhonda Mapp surveyed the crowd and said: “Hopefully next year it will be times 10 out here.”
They think they’ve taken the first step toward expanding their fan base by claiming a championship trophy.
“That’s the biggest thing about L.A.: they embrace winners,” Tamecka Dixon said. “I think it’s proven that we’re winners now, and I think people will come out and support us. Hopefully they will.”
The hardest of the hard-core fans showed up Wednesday. A loud cheer went up when a wall of balloons popped to reveal the team on the City Hall steps and the cheers seemed to burst out after every sentence spoken by the Sparks.
The crowd chanted Mwadi Mabika’s name and greeted Cooper with a chorus of “Cooooooop.”
The Sparks seemed genuinely grateful for the fans they do have.
“We want to thank the parents who brought their kids,” Leslie told the crowd. “And the men who brought their daughters. We need your support.”
If a championship team in Los Angeles can’t draw, it doesn’t bode well for the league.
Even for the WNBA to be created and stick around the five years it took the Sparks to win a title is pretty remarkable, considering this wasn’t an option that existed when Leslie was a child.
“Being in L.A. and Compton and Inglewood and watching the Lakers in the ‘80s and watching them win championships, it’s like a dream come true,” Leslie said. “You always dream of playing with the Lakers and winning, but for me to be able to have a WNBA team and to do that, it’s better than I thought.
“I’m just glad that I’m blessed enough to be part of this era. [If it came] 20 years later, I would have been sitting there watching going, ‘Dang, I wish.”’
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J.A. Adande can be reached at j.a.adande@latimes.com.