Layshia Clarendon, the WNBA’s first openly transgender and nonbinary player and a 2017 All-Star, has announced their retirement after 12 seasons. The Los Angeles Sparks guard had not played since August 15, sitting out the remainder of the season for mental health reasons. The Sparks, with an 8-32 record, missed the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year.
“It’s bittersweet to reach this time in my life and career. Coming home to LA and spending my final seasons with the Sparks was deeply meaningful,” Clarendon stated. Born in San Bernardino and a former player at California, Clarendon noted, “I wasn’t sure if I would ever make it back to California to play. And I did, which meant the world to me and my family.”
The 33-year-old joined the Sparks in February 2023, following stints with Indiana, Atlanta, Connecticut, New York, and Minnesota. In their time with Los Angeles, Clarendon averaged eight points, 2.5 rebounds, and three assists over 45 games, starting in 36 of them. In May, Clarendon became the second-oldest player in WNBA history to achieve a triple-double, recording 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in a game against the Atlanta Dream.
Last season, Clarendon reached a career milestone by scoring 2,000 points, including a career-high 30 points in a game against the New York Liberty.
Clarendon, who publicly came out as nonbinary and transgender after the 2020 season, has been a vocal advocate for social and racial justice, as well as LGBTQIA+ rights. They were elected as the first vice president of the players association in 2016 and played a key role in the negotiation of the WNBA’s 2020 collective bargaining agreement, which included increased salaries, improved travel conditions, and better support for players with children.
“Lay was a true professional, showing up each day with a desire to help our team compete and improve,” said Sparks coach Curt Miller. “Off the court, Lay is a trailblazer and impacted so many with their bravery to be authentic and unapologetic while consistently fighting for the marginalized.”
