Los Angeles Sparks sign former Fever guard after losing another star to injury

With Kelsey Plum sidelined, the Sparks have signed Grace Berger to a hardship contract.

Grace Berger has a new home in the WNBA. The former Indiana University stadnout, who was drafted by the Fever seventh overall in 2023, has signed a hardship contract with the Los Angeles Sparks, the team announced on Tuesday.

Berger, a 26-year-old guard, has averaged 3.9 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game in two seasons in the WNBA, shooting 44.1% from the field and 46.2% from three.

Berger spent this most recent training camp with the Minnesota Lynx before being waived. In the offseason, she played for the Ormanspor club in Turkey’s KBSL, averaging 13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists.

Before her pro career, Berger was a standout Hoosier, averaging 12.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in five seasons.

The Los Angeles Sparks are down five players

Now, she joins a Sparks team that is extremely shorthanded; Cameron Brink continues to recover from an ACL tear suffered last season, Rae Burrell has yet to return from a right knee injury she suffered in the season opener, and Kelsey Plum is out with a left lower leg injury.

In addition to those three injuries, Odyssey Sims is listed as out with personal reasons, and Julie Allemand is away from the team as she competes with Belgium in EuroBasket.

Berger will provide some guard depth in the short term, but will likely be cut when the Sparks are back to full strength.

The Sparks are 4-8 to begin the season.