LOS ANGELES — On the same day the Los Angeles Sparks parted ways with head coach and general manager Derek Fisher, the WNBA franchise announced its decision to waive former Hawaii basketball star Amy Atwell.

The sharpshooter Atwell was the No. 27 overall draft pick for the Sparks following a stellar senior year for the Rainbow Wahine. The 6-foot Australian appeared sparingly in four games, although she started in Los Angeles’ regular-season opener on the heels of a breakout preseason game.

Atwell might have been waived to make room for veteran guard Kristi Toliver, who has been away from the team serving as an assistant coach with the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Playoffs. The Mavericks were knocked out of the playoffs in the Western Conference Finals on May 26.

The Sparks (5-7) had high expectations coming into the season with a retooled roster that included the addition of star center Liz Cambage to pair with veteran sisters Nneka and Chiney Ogwumike. Fisher placed Atwell among the first five on the court for the May 6 season opener against the Chicago Sky, although she quickly gave way to fifth-year guard Lexie Brown.

Atwell tallied three points, two rebounds and two assists in 31 total minutes of court time for the Sparks in her four appearances, with a season-high 13 minutes at the Connecticut Sun on May 14. The Wahine career 3-point leader shot 1-for-9 from the field (1-for-6 on 3s), with her 3 coming in a blowout loss to the Las Vegas Aces on May 23.

Atwell has already secured a deal to play for her hometown Perth Lynx of Australia’s Women’s National Basketball League for the 2022-23 season.

In a statement put out by the Lynx on June 4, Atwell said, “I am super excited to be joining such an incredible organization and to be given the opportunity to come home and play in from of my friends and family is just something I couldn’t give up after being away for 6+ years. I can’t wait to get to work and bring a championship home to Perth.”

The WNBL preseason begins on Sept. 21.

Atwell was the first Hawaii alumna to play in the WNBA since Amy Sanders in 2007. She was only the second UH alum to be drafted into the league, following the late Judy Mosley-McAfee in 1997.

Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii.