The excitement for this year’s WNBA All-Star game is at its peak. Two teams comprising the very best in the business will lock horns on Saturday, July 20 at the Footprint Center in Phoenix. While many are showcasing their exhilaration on witnessing Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark play side by side for the first time, there are a handful of other players in the squad who have the credentials to cause a lot of trouble for the U.S. women’s national team. Among the solidified ones is LA Sparks’ top offensive player, Dearica Hamby.

The 30-year-old opened up about her third All-Star call in 4 years. She, however, wasn’t very surprised by her selection, given her numbers talk for themselves. Still, there was a tone of elation and satisfaction in this development. “I knew this would happen. But I’m still grateful. You know this is the best league in the world and to be in an All-Star game to compete against the USA team with the best players. I’m thankful.” Hamby mentioned.

Hamby will be alongside the likes of Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell from the Indiana Fever, Connecticut’s DeWanna Bonner, and Brionna Jones. In addition to this, Alisha Gray will be the representative from Atlanta while New York’s Jonquel Jones also make the final cut. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s dynamic No.21 Kayla McBride will be alongside Dallas’ point guard Arike Ogunbowale. At the same time, Seattle’s Nneka Ogwumike will feature in her 9th All-Star game.

However, Dearica Hamby’s impressive personal feat doesn’t hide the fact that the franchise is going through a horrid time in the middle.

Dearica Hamby and Co. staring down an unwanted record

The LA Sparks are scheduled to take on back-to-back WNBA champions the Las Vegas Aces next. Currently, they are on an 8-game losing streak and a loss at the Crypto.com Arena will equal their franchise record of 9 consecutive games without a victory.

Anyhow, Dearica Hamby is hopeful of a turnaround on Friday night. She went on and said, “We’re trying to get the monkey off our back. We have some competitive games coming up. We beat Vegas before, but also the first game we played them really well. It’s an opportunity to beat them.”

Indeed, Dearica Hamby and the rest of the LA Sparks need some much-needed motivation. A win against a powerhouse like Las Vegas will certainly boost their confidence to a great extent. Only time will tell if fortune favors them on Friday.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the infamous Shaq-Kobe feud, Caitlin Clark’s Olympic snub, and more, watch this video.