Lynne Roberts shared just how big of a part Tara VanDerveer played in helping shape her collegiate coaching career throughout the years.

Roberts was introduced as the Los Angeles Sparks’ newest head coach on Nov. 21, with the former Utah coach making the jump from the college ranks to the WNBA. During her introductory press conference, Roberts spoke on a multitude of topics such as why she decided to make a move to the league.

Roberts recalled what she learned from other coaches as well as what other coaches told her along the way. While she was doing so, the 49-year-old called to mind a conversation she had with Stanford’s legendary head coach which helped turn her career around when she was struggling.

“So the COVID year, we had been doing pretty well in post season and all the things, and then COVID, which was obviously awful for the planet and for everybody, but particularly hit my basketball team in terms of like, we were bad,” Roberts admitted to reporters. “We had a really bad season and I couldn’t really put my finger on it.

“We played Stanford at home, there’s no one in the stands and we got just blasted by Stanford. I’m sitting at home and Tara calls me. I look at my phone, I’m like, ‘Oh Tara’s calling me.’ So I go outside and take the call and she basically said, ‘You need to get your stuff together.’

“And she said, ‘I don’t want to see another coach at Utah, but you need to do that. You’re too good of a coach.’ And it kind of was like water splashing on my face where I was like, ‘Whoa.’ So that was kind of the genesis of when I was like, ‘OK.'”

Lynne Roberts is introduced as the LA Sparks head basketball coach at a WNBA news conference at the Crypto.com Arena on November 21, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

Lynne Roberts shared a story of the private phone call she had with Tara VanDerveer which shaped her career ( 

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Photo by Kirby Lee/Getty Images)

After that conversation with VanDerveer, Roberts changed her coaching philosophy and embraced a more faster paced offense, focusing more on shooting from beyond the arc and at the rim. In the three years since, Utah led the nation in field goal attempts from 3-point land and from range.

The Utes were also second in the country in overall offensive rating and third in effective field goal percentage. Utah also ranked fifth among all schools in 3-pointers made in the last three seasons, winning 71 of 99 games, good for a 71.7 winning percentage.

Additionally, Roberts coached against Cameron Brink, the Sparks’ star rookie and noted that playing against a player of Brink’s caliber – along with the call from VanDerveer – helped her understand what needed to change. Particularly, Roberts admitted those experiences is what forced her to changed her coaching ways.

“So it was like, ‘OK, how can I change the game, change the race so that I can win the race with different athletes?'” Roberts continued. “So that’s when I kind of did a deep dive analytically about what really translates into winning in women’s basketball.

“What are the things that really matter? It doesn’t matter what style you play – what are the statistical things that really impact winning in the women’s game? And so honed in on those, I mean, I nerded out, and then just kind of created a style from there.”

Roberts’ style change helped her reach three NCAA tournament berths and win the Pac-12 regular season championship in 2023, en route to the Sparks‘ head coaching position. Meanwhile, VanDerveer announced her retirement from coaching in April 2024, stepping away after a 38-year-tenure.