The Los Angeles Sparks received a lift this weekend after a huge win over the Las Vegas Aces, when it was announced that Azurá Stevens would be available to make her season debut. Stevens had been sidelined since training camp due to an arm injury sustained while playing overseas in China during the winter. However, one player may have exited while another returned. Stephanie Talbot, a veteran forward, has been battling with a foot issue and left Sunday’s game against the Phoenix Mercury in the first quarter, being ruled out for the rest of the game, according to Sparks PR.
Stephanie Talbot had returned to the court this season after suffering an ACL injury in the 2023 offseason that delayed her Sparks debut. She was signed by the Sparks as a free agent in 2023 after playing two seasons with the Seattle Storm. With the season-ending injury to Cameron Brink, Talbot had moved into the Sparks starting lineup as a small-ball power forward.
Talbot began the season playing sparingly off the bench, but gradually began to get more minutes as the season progressed. She had recently looked like she’d found her rhythm. She was one of the more sought-after free agents in 2023 due to her career shooting seasons in 2021 and 2022 with the Storm.
During the Sparks win against the Aces on Friday, Talbot forced overtime with a post up on Chelsea Gray in the paint. She finished that game with 13 points, five rebounds and nine assists. Following the Aces win, Aari McDonald spoke about the effect Talbot has had since entering the starting lineup.
“Steph is so underrated, she’s been playing her butt off since entering the starting lineup. She has been the glue that we need to keep us together, stay composed and has done the little things that don’t show up on the stat sheet,” McDonald said. “She had some really big assists and I’m just proud of her.”
It’s been a big week for Talbot in general. This weekend it was announced that she had made the final roster for the Australian national team for the Olympics later this month. This will be Talbot’s second time representing Australia in Olympic competition. The first was in 2020.
Talbot will suit up alongside fellow WNBA players Ezi Magbegor (Seattle Storm), Rebecca Allen (Phoenix Mercury), Alanna Smith (Minnesota Lynx), Kristy Wallace (Indiana Fever), Sami Whitcomb (Seattle Storm) and Jade Melbourne (Washington Mystics).
