Sparks News: Key Player Returns After Seven-Year Absence

Los Angeles welcomes back a franchise player to its training camp ahead of the 2025 season.

Sep 11, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks players stand during the playing of the national anthem before the game against the Seattle Storm at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Sparks drafted Maria Kliundikova with the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 WNBA Draft. This past February, nearly seven years later, the Sparks organization retained the rights of Kliundikova, bringing the former first-round pick back to Los Angeles.

Kliundikova — known as "Masha" and formerly Maria Vadeeva — led UMMC Yekaterinburg to a Russian League Championship 3-0 series victory on Thursday. She collected a game-high 14 rebounds and a game-tying four assists, along with seven points, in the 88-56 win.

After not playing in the WNBA since 2019, Kliundikova left international play to now officially rejoin the Sparks in the States for training camp ahead of their May 16 season opener, the team announced.

“I am very happy to be back with the Sparks,” Kliundikova said per a release. “Everything has changed here, and there’s a new and exciting energy. This is a new challenge for me, too, and I think we will succeed together as a team.”

The 6-foot-4 center played 40 combined games for the purple and gold through 2018 and 2019, averaging a career 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds on 50.6 percent shooting across both seasons before returning to Europe.

Kliundikova made her sole career start on May 26, 2019, and capitalized on the opportunity. She scored a career-high 24 points in 24 minutes, along with five rebounds, three blocks and two steals — a glimpse of the Russian center's potential in an elevated front court role.

They call @Maria_Vadeeva 🇷🇺 the "Terminator" for a reason 💯#EuroBasketWomen pic.twitter.com/oUI1Fb1O2h

— FIBA Women's EuroBasket (@EuroBasketWomen) November 9, 2019

The international talent was named FIBA Under-19 World Cup MVP in 2017. It placed her among an elite group of players who have won the award — including the likes of Breanna Stewart (2013), A’ja Wilson (2015), Paige Bueckers (2019), Caitlin Clark (2021) and Iyana Martín Carrión (2023).

“We are excited to have Masha back in Los Angeles and in the WNBA,” Sparks' General Manager Raegan Pebley said in the release. “She is a highly skilled and versatile player. Masha’s competitive drive and relentless pursuit of excellence set her apart.”

More Sparks news:

A'ja Wilson Speaks Out on Losing Kelsey Plum to Sparks

Sparks' Kelsey Plum Reacts to Georgia Amoore's ACL Injury

When Does Sparks' Kelsey Plum Return to Face Aces?

Sparks GM Details What Led to Sarah Ashlee Barker Pick

Sparks Sign Former Tar Heels Star Forward

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Sparks, visit Los Angeles Sparks on SI.