The Los Angeles Sparks named Ariana Andonian general manager on Friday, filling a job that had been open since the team fired Raegan Pebley on July 12.
Andonian, 31, comes from the Philadelphia 76ers, where she was vice president of player personnel and general manager of the Delaware Blue Coats, the team’s G League affiliate. Sabreena Merchant of The Athletic first reported the hire and said Farhan Zaidi, a special advisor to owner Mark Walter, led the search.
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Assistant general managers Zach Knowlton and Nate Nielsen ran the front office on an interim basis after Pebley was fired. That stretch included the Aug. 2 trade deadline, when Los Angeles sent Kelsey Plum to the Phoenix Mercury for Monique Akoa Makani, a 2027 first-round pick, and a 2028 second-round pick.
Knowlton and Nielsen were hired from NBA front offices before the season, from Sacramento and Cleveland.
Los Angeles is 15-25 with four games left and will miss the playoffs for a sixth straight season. The franchise has three WNBA championships, the most recent in 2016.
“Ariana has distinguished herself throughout her career as an exceptional evaluator of talent and a thoughtful, forward-thinking basketball executive,” Sparks managing partner and governor Eric Holoman said. “She has earned the respect of some of the best basketball minds in the game, but what stood out to us throughout this process was her vision for building a team and an organization.”
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“Ariana understands the importance of identifying talent, developing players, and creating a culture that can sustain success,” Holoman continued. “We are thrilled to welcome her home to Los Angeles to lead the next chapter of Sparks basketball.”
Ariana Andonian Brings NBA Front-Office Experience
Pebley had no front-office experience before the Sparks hired her. Andonian has worked in NBA basketball operations for more than a decade, starting with the Houston Rockets in 2015.
Over four seasons in Houston, she worked in basketball operations and scouting, was the league’s only female scout at the time, and eventually helped coordinate the Rockets’ scouting group.
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She left Houston to earn an MBA at Duke, where she was a player personnel consultant for the men’s basketball team under Mike Krzyzewski and Jon Scheyer.
In 2020, she joined the Memphis Grizzlies and spent four seasons there, finishing as director of player personnel, responsible for high school and international scouting.
Philadelphia hired her in September 2024 to oversee professional scouting. She took over the Blue Coats in 2025.
Andonian is a California native and a graduate of the University of Southern California.
“Coming home to Southern California to serve as general manager of the Sparks is an opportunity of a lifetime,” Andonian said. “This is a franchise with a championship legacy, one that is part of the fabric of women’s professional basketball. It was clear to me throughout this process that the Sparks ownership group is committed to delivering for our fans.”
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“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 added. “I’m truly grateful to be back home for an important chapter of Sparks basketball.”
Sparks Face More Decisions This Offseason
Her responsibilities cover roster construction, player personnel, scouting, and long-term basketball strategy, according to the team.
ESPN reported she will also decide the future of Sparks coach Lynne Roberts, who is finishing her second season.
The roster she inherits carries Plum’s departure and a first-round pick from Phoenix in the 2027 draft. Plum can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason and has said she plans to go through the full process.
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Andonian will attend the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Berlin before reporting to Los Angeles later this month, per the team. The WNBA schedule is paused through Sept. 16 for the tournament.
Los Angeles resumes play Sept. 17 at the Dallas Wings.
