The Los Angeles Sparks made a bit of a gamble this offseason when they traded away the No. 2 pick in the 2025 WNBA Draft. While they could have selected a player like Dominique Malonga, Sonia Citron or Kiki Iriafen, they instead opted for a surefire veteran.

That player was Kelsey Plum, a seven-year vet who is both a two-time WNBA champion and a three-time All-Star. After her 37-point eruption during her Sparks debut, the front office in Los Angeles looked like the smartest decision-makers in the league.

However, as the season has progressed, Plum has simmered down a bit. In fact, one could argue that she has not even been the Sparks' biggest bright spot this season. That honor may belong to an eight-year veteran who is playing her best basketball in 2025.

6-foot-6 center Azura Stevens has arguably been the most well-rounded player on the team. Plum and Dearica Hamby are the team's two leading scorers, but Stevens is third with 14.4 points per game and leads the Sparks in both rebounds and blocks.

Her 36.9% clip from beyond the arc on 4.1 attempts per game is impressive in a vacuum, but it also opens up so much for the Los Angeles offense. Stevens' ability to spread the floor provides more driving lanes for Hamby, Plum and Rickea Jackson.

Stevens' ability to pop on ball screens also allows guards like Plum, Odyssey Sims and Sarah Ashlee Barker more space to operate. She does not even need to be knocking down shots to be having an impact on the offensive end.

Defensively, she is also a force, as she is contributing 1.2 blocks and 1.8 steals per game. She has a knack for getting into passing lanes and getting her hand on the ball, but Stevens is also a solid rim protector who makes opposing drivers think twice about entering the paint.

She has been especially stout in recent games, as she has turned in scoring performances of 21, 23 and 17 in three consecutive contests. Stevens is also averaging just under seven rebounds per contest during that stretch.

The Sparks currently sit at 5-12 and firmly on the outside of the playoff picture, so they need to figure out something or else this season will be lost. With so much talent, it is only a matter of time that they put all the parts together, and Stevens will be a critical piece of that puzzle.