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TST Exclusive: Conversation with Sparks guard Ta'Niya Latson
TL;DR
Ta'Niya Latson, drafted 20th overall by the LA Sparks, reflects on her rapid transition from college champion to WNBA rookie. She discusses her experiences in training camp and her first professional game.
Key points
- Ta'Niya Latson was drafted 20th overall by the LA Sparks.
- She played for South Carolina in the National Championship.
- Latson's first professional game occurred less than a month after being drafted.
- Training camp started shortly after her draft.
Mentioned in this story
South Carolina
Ta'Niya LatsonLos Angeles SparksWNBANCAA Championship
Apr 30, 2026; Los Angeles, CA, USA; LA Sparks guard Ta'Niya Latson (0) poses during media day at El Camino College
TORRANCE, CA -- Life can go really fast for a WNBA rookie.
Ta'Niya Latson was playing for South Carolina for the National Championship in early April. About a week later, she was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks with the 20th overall pick. Training camp was happening a few days after and not even a month after, she's playing her first professional game.
Latson talked with the Sporting Tribune last Tuesday (ahead of the Sparks' match-up with the Fever) about how it's been in the pros and how she got to this point.
THE SPORTING TRIBUNE: You've been free for almost a month now. How are you loving L.A.?
TA'NIYA LATSON: I love L.A. I mean, I love the city and my teammates, my coaches, so I'm having a good time.
TST: Leading up to Sunday's game, how were the nerves?
TL: We played against the Aces, the defending champions, and then it was the opening night for us, so it was a lot of nerves.
TST: And you scored your first WNBA points, even though, yeah, it could have been a better setting, but how was that?
TL: It was good! It felt like a relief. I got it out of the way. That's something that every rookie wants to do their first game and, you know, to score buckets. So, being able to do that, I was proud of myself for that.
TST: So, let's turn it back a little bit. Why did you choose basketball? Did you play any other sports in high school or anything like that?
TL: No, I actually chose basketball because my cousins played overseas when I was a little girl. So I always used to go outside and watch them play. I started dribbling the ball when I was three years old and it's stuck with me since. It was something that I always was good at so that's something I just stayed with.
Q&A
What team did Ta'Niya Latson get drafted to in the WNBA?
Ta'Niya Latson was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks.
When was Ta'Niya Latson drafted into the WNBA?
Ta'Niya Latson was drafted with the 20th overall pick in late April 2026.
What college did Ta'Niya Latson play for before joining the WNBA?
Ta'Niya Latson played for South Carolina before joining the WNBA.
How quickly did Ta'Niya Latson transition from college to professional basketball?
Ta'Niya Latson transitioned from playing in the National Championship to her first professional game within a month.
