Sparks Waive Two Players Ahead of 2025 Season

The Sparks cut their training camp roster to 16 after waiving two players.

Sep 17, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; LA Sparks guard Rae Burrell (12) shoots the ball in the second half against the Phoenix Mercury at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Sparks waived forward Anneli Maley and guard-forward Alyssa Ustby on Thursday night, per a release.

The two players being waived cut the Sparks' training camp roster down to 16 ahead of their May 16 season opener against the Golden State Valkyries.

Maley landed on the Sparks' radar after impressing in 2024 and 2025 with the Perth Redbacks of the NBL1 West league, capping play with a 29-point, 30-rebound, 10-assist triple-double on April 4. An excellent international career gradually stacked her resume — Maley earned WNBL MVP honors in 2022, as well as being named an All-NBL1 West First Team ('22, '24) and All-WNBL Second Team ('25) member.

Her first and only WNBA appearance prior to the Sparks came in 2022, when the Melbourne, Australia native appeared in just four games for the Chicago Sky. But her recent play in Australia sparked interest from Los Angeles general manager Raegan Pebley.

Read more: Sparks' Kelsey Plum Reacts to Georgia Amoore's ACL Injury

The 6-foot-1 forward signed with the Sparks in early February before being waived midway through training camp.

Thank you, Anneli Maley! pic.twitter.com/IHc4xjYAmw

— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) May 2, 2025

After going undrafted in the 2025 WNBA Draft on April 14, coach Lynne Roberts and the Sparks made it an immediate priority to sign Ustby on a one-year free agent contract a day later.

The Minnesota native averaged 10.9 points, 9.5 rebounds and a team-high 2.8 assists per game for North Carolina in 2024-25. She was named to both the All-ACC First Team and the ACC All-Defensive Team — along with leading the Tar Heels in career rebounds and cementing her spot as the only player in program history with a single-game triple-double.

The one, the only - ALYSSA USTBY.

📺 | ESPN2 pic.twitter.com/M5xdCObGrP

— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) March 25, 2025

Roberts, who coached for nine seasons at Utah before making the WNBA jump, attempted to sign Ustby out of high school — but was unsuccessful.

“What I loved about her then is what I still love about her now — she’s just a competitor and her rebounding is elite,” Roberts told reporters.

Despite mutual interest from both sides, Ustby's time with the Sparks gets cut short.

Thank you, Alyssa Ustby! pic.twitter.com/Qvu713iXD3

— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) May 2, 2025

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.