MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Lynx announced the team has acquired guard Odyssey Sims from the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for guard Alexis Jones.
“We have gotten to know Odyssey Sims up close and personal from a competitive standpoint in our rivalry with the LA Sparks over the last few seasons,” said Head Coach and General Manager Cheryl Reeve. “Odyssey brings us physical toughness and the ability to score at the guard spots. We look forward to her time as a Minnesota Lynx.”
Sims, 27, spent the past two seasons with Los Angeles, a stay highlighted by a trip to the WNBA Finals vs. Minnesota in 2017. In 2018, she appeared in all 34 games (24 starts), averaging 8.2 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 25.5 minutes per contest. Sims began her career with Tulsa (now the Dallas Wings), having been selected by the Shock with the second overall pick of the 2014 WNBA Draft.
In 156 career games (118 starts) with Tulsa, Dallas and Los Angeles, Sims holds career averages of 12.8 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 29.4 minutes per game. She has appeared in 12 postseason games, averaging 14.7 points and 3.5 assists in 31.2 minutes per game. In 2014, Sims was named to the WNBA’s All-Rookie Team and won a gold medal with Team USA at the FIBA World Championship for Women.
Prior to the WNBA, the 5-8 guard played at Baylor, where as a sophomore she was a member of the 2012 NCAA champions and scored 19 points in the Bears’ title-game victory over Notre Dame. She finished her career as a two-time All-American and National Freshman of the Year, while ranking first in school history in three-pointers made (258), second in assists (641), second in steals (331) and third in total points (2,533).
“I want to thank Alexis Jones for everything she gave to the Lynx over the last two seasons, including being a member of our championship team in 2017,” said Reeve. “We wish her well in her new venture with the Sparks.”
Originally selected by Minnesota in the first round (12th overall) of the 2017 WNBA Draft, Jones appeared in 55 games in her two seasons with the Lynx, averaging 2.9 points in 8.0 minutes per game while shooting 34.2% from three-point range. A 5-9 guard, she was part of Minnesota’s 2017 WNBA Championship squad, scoring nine points with four assists in Game 3 of the Finals in Los Angeles.
The Lynx will kick off their 21st WNBA season, presented by Mayo Clinic, by welcoming the Chicago Sky to Target Center on Saturday, May 25 at 7:00 p.m. The 2019 campaign includes 34 regular season games and runs through Sept. 8. Full season memberships and single-game tickets are now available by visiting lynx.wnba.com/tickets/or calling 612-673-8400.
