Sports columnist

Mirjam Swanson

Mirjam Swanson is a sports columnist for the Southern California News Group. For the previous four years, she covered the Clippers, the NBA and the L.A. Sparks. Before that, she wrote about LeBron James and the rest of the Dream Team at the 2004 Olympics (where, yes, they took bronze), Tiger Woods winning the U.S. Open on one leg, and also had a tour reporting on city government, education and the occasional bear in a backyard

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard dunks over Utah’s Kyle Filipowski during the first half Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at Intuit Dome. (AP Photo/William Liang)

Swanson: Clippers undaunted scaling their own chasm

January 6, 2026 at 2:35 p.m.

Winners of seven of their last eight games, the Clippers are chipping away confidently at Coach Tyronn Lue’s goal of finishing the season at .500 after their woeful 6-21 start.

Rams tight end Tyler Higbee dives across the goal line for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of their comeback win against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/SCNG)

Swanson: Phew! Rams get right just in time against Cardinals

January 5, 2026 at 12:35 a.m.

The Rams needed a jolt, got it from a feisty Arizona finale, then finished the job with 21 straight points to secure the NFC’s No. 5 seed and a wild-card...

Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts to a call as center Deandre Ayton (5) looks on and guard Marcus Smart, back center, gestures during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Sacramento Kings, Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Swanson: Lakers are good, but good doesn’t cut it

January 3, 2026 at 11:20 p.m.

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka needs to be bold and make moves to improve an imperfect roster and close the gap or risk wasting a season of Luka Doncic in his...

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard handles the ball during the second half of a game against the Houston Rockets last week at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Swanson: Kawhi Leonard is hot – what could the Clippers get for him?

December 29, 2025 at 4:29 p.m.

Is this the moment the unthinkable becomes palatable? Could the team trade the stoic face of the franchise at a time when he is reminding the NBA how elite he...

Lakers guard Luka Doncic, left, and center Deandre Ayton sit on the bench during the final minutes of a loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, at Crypto.com Arena. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

Swanson: Lakers’ skid presents real test for JJ Redick

December 26, 2025 at 8:32 a.m.

The coach didn’t hold back blasting his team – that “doesn’t care enough to be a professional” – after a 23-point Christmas Day loss to the Rockets.

Angel City FC defender Savy King (center) is flanked by the club’s Head Medical Hollie Walusz (left), and Sarah Smith, director of medical and performance. Walusz and Smith were integral in treating King quickly, administering CPR and preparing an AED within minutes when she suffered a cardiac emergency on the pitch during a match on May 9 at BMO Stadium. (Courtesy of Angel City FC)

Swanson: Angel City’s Savy King imagines ‘a nation of life-savers’

December 24, 2025 at 11:43 a.m.

After getting life-saving CPR during a match at BMO Stadium this year, the Agoura High graduate has launched a nonprofit, Savy King of Hearts, to encourage CPR training.

Presley, left, and Ford Walker pose for a photo with USC star JuJu Watkins, center, during her third annual “Good JuJu Holiday Giveback” event Monday, Dec. 22, 2025, at the Watts Labor Community Action Committee headquarters in Los Angeles. (Photo by Drew A. Kelley, Press-Telegram/SCNG)

Swanson: USC star spreads ‘Good JuJu’ and holiday cheer in Watts

December 23, 2025 at 2:53 p.m.

JuJu Watkins hosts about 60 students for her third annual “Good JuJu Holiday Give Back” at her family’s Watts Labor Community Action Committee headquarters.

Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh runs onto the field prior to a game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Nov. 30, 2025, at SoFi Stadium. (Photo by Keith Birmingham, Pasadena Star-News/ SCNG)

Swanson: Jim Harbaugh’s Chargers flex their physicality

December 18, 2025 at 2:58 p.m.

The veteran coach who promised a “relentless,” “physical” team has his hard-charging, no-chill Chargers on the cusp of a second consecutive playoff berth.

Jaden Brownell #33 of USC celebrates after a 3-pointer against San Diego during their game at the Jenny Craig Pavilion on Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Swanson: USC men’s basketball is on the attack early

December 15, 2025 at 3:28 p.m.

The 10-1 Trojans are banged up, but they’re playing aggressively and building chemistry and momentum as they head toward Big Ten play.

UConn celebrates after defeating USC during an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Swanson: UConn dominates USC — and that’s bad news for UCLA

December 13, 2025 at 8:02 p.m.

UConn routs USC to move to 10-0, looming as a threat to UCLA women’s basketball title hopes.

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