--- title: "DeLisha Milton-Jones jersey retirement ceremony at Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles; No. 8 retired" sdDatePublished: "2026-07-30T13:48:00Z" source: "https://www.olympics.com/en/news/basketball-delisha-milton-jones-cements-wnba-legacy-as-los-angeles-sparks-retire-her-jersey" topics: - name: "basketball" identifier: "medtop:20000851" - name: "sports honour" identifier: "medtop:20001304" - name: "ceremony" identifier: "medtop:20000501" - name: "Olympic Games" identifier: "medtop:20001177" - name: "sport" identifier: "medtop:15000000" locations: - "Los Angeles" - "Beiyuan" --- DeLisha Milton-Jones jersey retirement ceremony at Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles; No. 8 retired Basketball: DeLisha Milton-Jones cements WNBA legacy as Los Angeles Sparks retire her jersey Basketball: DeLisha Milton-Jones cements WNBA legacy as Los Angeles Sparks retire her jersey The Los Angeles Sparks retired two-time WNBA champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist DeLisha Milton-Jones, honouring one of the franchise's greatest players with a jersey retirement ceremony. DeLisha Milton-Jones stood at center court at halftime of the Los Angeles Sparks' first home game against the New York Liberty following the 2026 WNBA All-Star break, soaking in a moment decades in the making. She danced and smiled as her No. 8 jersey was unveiled in the rafters, officially cementing her place among the greatest players in franchise history. The ceremony celebrated a career defined by championships, resilience and an unwavering commitment to the game. A two-time WNBA champion with the Sparks and a two-time Olympic gold medalist with Team USA, Milton-Jones joined Sparks legends Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker and Penny Toler as one of four cornerstones of the Sparks' franchise whose jerseys now hang forever inside the home of the Sparks and Los Angeles Lakers. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: The retired Los Angeles Sparks jersey of DeLisha Milton-Jones #8 is revealed during halftime between the Sparks and the New York Liberty at Crypto.com Arena on July 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy For Milton-Jones, who helped Team USA capture Olympic gold at the Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, this honour held a different kind of significance. "My Olympic moments, it was a dream," Milton-Jones told Olympics.com . "We worked so hard to achieve the gold medal." "But a moment like this is one of those individual awards that you get from the work that you put in. It's a beautiful moment, an exclamation point at the end of my career." Milton-Jones' impact on the Sparks was defined by more than championships. She helped lead Los Angeles to back-to-back WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002, establishing herself as one of the league's most tenacious defenders. Former Sparks head coach and Lakers great Michael Cooper gave Milton-Jones the nickname "D-Nasty", a reflection of her physicality and intensity on the court. "People who knew her off the court called her Sunshine, that Georgia drawl, that warmth, but when she stepped between the lines, she was D. Nasty," Parker said during her tribute on Tuesday night. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: Former Los Angeles Sparks player DeLisha Milton-Jones hugs former teammate Candace Parker during Milton-Jones's jersey retirement halftime ceremony during the game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the New York Liberty at Crypto.com Arena on July 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy The forward delivered some of her best performances on the biggest stages. During the 2001 WNBA Finals, Milton-Jones averaged 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 72.2% from the field. Parker, also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, reflected on the habits that made Milton-Jones a legend. "She took care of her body like that's her job," she said. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JULY 28: Former Los Angeles Sparks player DeLisha Milton-Jones watches the rafters during her jersey retirement halftime ceremony during the game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the New York Liberty at Crypto.com Arena on July 28, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy Milton-Jones' influence extended far beyond her own accomplishments. She helped establish the standard for the generations that followed, including Sparks forward and WNBA Players Association president Nneka Ogwumike , who credited the veterans before her for shaping the culture of the league. "When I entered the league, I was raised by veterans that taught me the importance of staying on top of my game, but also valuing those that come before you," Ogwumike told Olympics.com. Milton-Jones continues to pour into the next generation of basketball players. Since April 2020, she has served as the head coach of the women's basketball program at Old Dominion University, carrying forward the same lessons of preparation, perseverance and leadership that defined her playing career. BEIJING - AUGUST 23: (L-R) Candace Parker, Lisa Leslie and Delisha Milton-Jones pose after winning the gold medal against Australia at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium on Day 15 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 23, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Jeff Gross Her impact now spans three generations of the women's game: helping build the WNBA, representing Team USA on the Olympic stage and developing the future stars of women's basketball. As she looked up at her jersey hanging alongside the franchise's all-time greats, Milton-Jones reflected on the message she hopes her career leaves behind. "I want them to know that I did it my way and I did it at home," she said. "There's only one way to do it, and that's to grind through it." Picture by 2026 Getty Images Picture by 2008 Getty Images