WNBA's Sparks fire head coach, general manager Derek Fisher
The Los Angeles Sparks announced on Tuesday that they have dismissed head coach and general manager Derek Fisher.
Assistant coach Fred Williams will take over on the bench as interim head coach while the team engages in a search for a new general manager.
“After a thorough evaluation of the state of our team, the Sparks and GM/Head Coach Derek Fisher have agreed to part ways,” managing partner Eric Holoman said, per the team statement. “On behalf of our ownership group, I want to thank Derek for his efforts and contributions to the Sparks franchise."
Fisher joined the franchise as head coach in 2018. The Sparks named him general manager in 2020. He worked in both roles prior to his departure on Monday. He addressed his departure in a joint statement alongside the Sparks.
“The Sparks and I have mutually agreed to part ways as I shift my focus back to pursuing other opportunities and private endeavors,” Fisher added. “It has been an amazing ride and I wish the entire LA sparks organization great success moving forward.”
The Sparks are off to a 4-7 start, good for fourth place out of six teams in the Western Conference. They went 54-46 during Fisher's head coaching tenure and made the playoffs twice, while winning just one postseason game.
Fisher played 18 NBA seasons from 1996-2014, winning five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers. After retiring, he spent two seasons as head coach of the New York Knicks from 2014-16 before his firing midway through his second season and return to Los Angeles to take over the Sparks.
Williams has WNBA coaching experience dating back to 1999 including head-coaching stints with the Utah Starzz, Atlanta Dream and Tulsa Shock/Dallas Wings.
