NEW YORK (AP) – The defending champion Los Angeles Sparks start the season atop The Associated Press WNBA poll.
The Sparks received 11 first-place votes from the national media panel Tuesday.
“We appreciate the people giving us that kind of respect, although I know that there’s several really, really good teams in this league,” Sparks coach Brian Agler said. “We feel like we can be good. There are some teams that are really strong as well. People have improved through the offseason, improved through the draft.”
Los Angeles opens its season Saturday against Seattle.
The Minnesota Lynx, who fell to the Sparks in a decisive Game 5 of the WNBA Finals last fall, garnered the other five first-place votes and came in second in the poll.
