Rickea Jackson made a strong case as a WNBA Rookie of the Year award contender alongside Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese after her performance against the New York Liberty. As the third-highest-scoring rookie in the league, Jackson showcased elite scoring ability and has had a top-ten scoring season so far in Los Angeles Sparks history.
Jackson played a crucial role in snapping the Spark's seven-game losing streak while helping her team secure a 94-88 victory over the playoff-clinched Liberty. Dearica Hamby led the team with 21 points, while Jackson added an efficient 19 points, shooting 76 percent from the field and draining four of her six attempts from beyond the arc.
Jackson's offensive firepower was mostly showcased in the first quarter, where she drained three 3-pointers in just over 100 seconds. Over the last nine games, the 23-year-old guard has become instrumental to the Sparks game plan, scoring 17.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field.
The Sparks rookie's efficiency has been more than just shooting 3-pointers. She's also finishing 72 percent of her chances around the rim compared to fellow award contender Reese . According to Her Hoop Stats, Jackson is shooting 40 percent on jump shots and 38 percent from 3-point range.
Jackson's ability to score in different ways and her growing role on the team has made her a top under-the-radar rookie this season. According to WNBA stats, her 12.7 scoring average this season is good for seventh best in history behind team legends including Lisa Leslie, Candance Parker , Nneka Ogwumike , and more.
As the WNBA season progresses, Jackson's continued development and impact on the Sparks will likely keep her in the conversation for Rookie of the Year. Clark, the No. 1 overall pick in this season's WNBA Draft, is seemingly running away with the end-of-season award after record-breaking performances that have contributed to the Fever turning around their initially subpar season.
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Jackson's career high of 25 points came last Sunday , where she was a perfect 6-for-6 from the field, including 4-for-4 from beyond the arc in the first quarter of a loss to the Dallas Wings. Her connection with Hamby was again on display, giving the team's scoring leader several key assists down the stretch to mount a comeback.
The WNBA No. 4 overall pick spoke about her increase in productivity after that game, mentioning how head coach Curt Miller instilled more confidence in her to shoot the ball, contrasting her time in college at Tennessee. "Just being confident," she said.
"I feel like coming to LA, my coaches harp on me to shoot open three. That's something that I shied away from in college but I always needed someone to let me know that it's okay to do that."
Los Angeles Sparks all-time scorers per game by average
- Dearica Hamby: 17.9
- Lisa Leslie: 17.3
- Candace Parker: 16.9
- Nneka Ogwumike: 16.6
- Tina Thompson: 13.1
- Chelsea Gray: 12.8
- Rickea Jackson: 12.6
- Kristi Toliver: 12.2
- DeLisha Milton-Jones: 11.7
- Mwadi Mabika: 10.9
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