LOS ANGELES (AP) — Liz Cambage is finally playing for the team that she wanted since deciding to first play in the WNBA in 2011.
Cambage was officially introduced as a member of the Los Angeles Sparks on Wednesday. The 6-foot-8 center from Australia signed with the Sparks last week following two seasons with the Las Vegas Aces.
“I said I wanted to be in LA and I know it’s taken 11 years,” Cambage said. “It’s been a journey. I’m so excited that I’m finally here.”
Cambage might have understated things when she called it a journey. It has been more of a rollercoaster.
She was the second overall pick by the Tulsa Shock in 2011, but has played in only five WNBA seasons. She sat out 2012 to prepare for the London Olympics and then took a four-year hiatus from the league (2014-17) because she didn't want to play in Tulsa. The franchise moved to Dallas in 2016 and she returned to the league in 2018. She played one season for the Wings before being traded to the Aces in 2019. She also did not play during the 2020 bubble season.
When Cambage has played in the WNBA, she has been one of the top players in the league. She has averaged 16.3 points and 7.7 rebounds over her career as well as holding the record for points in a game (53 in 2018), four All-Star game appearances and the 2018 scoring title.
Coach and general manager Derek Fisher says the addition of Cambage in the middle gives the Sparks a dominating player on both ends of the floor.
“We haven’t had the presence in the middle that makes people think twice about coming to the basket in the first place. Liz changes that instantly. She’s also as efficient a player as there is in the league. She's comfortable playing anywhere on the floor,” he said.
Cambage also hasn't been afraid to speak her mind on various topics about the league — whether it is upgrading travel or salaries. Cambage criticized the league for having a salary cap of $1.4 million per team after it was announced that Becky Hammon would earn $1 million as Las Vegas' coach this upcoming season. Hammon has been an assistant for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs since 2014.
Mark Davis, who also owns the Raiders, bought the Aces last year. Cambage says she continues to text with Davis and appreciates an owner who is willing to put a lot into the league.
“I love it for Becky. I love it for all women. I hope everyone makes a million dollars a year one day, but until then, we got to work out better ways,” Cambage said. “It’s amazing that an owner would put that much money out for a coach, but when that equals, you know, close to 80% of the salary cap, it’s just crazy.”
Cambage joins a Sparks squad that was 12-20 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Los Angeles was beset by injuries to key players, including Nneka Ogwumike, Kristi Toliver and Chiney Ogwumike and averaged a league-worst 72.8 points per game.
Besides adding Cambage, Fisher has been aggressive in upgrading the roster during the offseason. Guard Jordin Canada was also signed in free agent while forward Katie Lou Samuelson and guard Chennedy Carter were acquired in trades.
Fisher added that the roster overhaul began last year when Candace Parker and Chelsea Gray departed in free agency, but that measuring progress was difficult due to the injuries.
“We do feel like we’re farther ahead than where we were last year when we started. We have a core group of players who understand our system,” he said. “I think the combination of players and personalities we have, they've all accomplished a ton of things individually but winning is the number one priority.”
Cambage, who has been working out in LA, is ready for the new campaign to begin.
"We just need to get on court, we need to get to April and get it all together," Cambage said." I've been based in LA for a couple of years now. My trainer Chris is here, my strength and conditioning coach Adam is here. We've been working but now it's just time to get together as a group and get it started,"