The Los Angeles Sparks named Ariana Andonian their new general manager, the team announced Friday.
Andonian will replace the team’s former GM Reagan Pebley, whom the Sparks fired in July.
According to the team, Andonian will oversee all aspects of Sparks basketball operations, including roster construction, player personnel, scouting, and long-term basketball strategy. She is expected to join the team later this month.
Most recently, Andonian served as general manager of the Delaware Blue Coats, the NBA G League affiliate of the Philadelphia 76ers, while also serving as the 76ers’ vice president of player personnel.
The California native expressed excitement about returning home.
“Coming home to Southern California to serve as general manager of the Sparks is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Andonian said in a statement. “This is a franchise with a championship legacy, one that is part of the fabric of women’s professional basketball… My goal as GM is to build a culture of excellence centered around great people, strong processes, and doing everything within our power to best support our players on and off the court.”
Andonian began her NBA career with the Houston Rockets in 2015. During four seasons with the organization, she held roles across basketball operations and scouting, became the NBA’s only female scout at the time, and ultimately helped coordinate the Rockets’ scouting group.
The Sparks are 15-25 and will miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season, which is the longest playoff drought in franchise history.
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