Not Caitlin Clark or Cameron Brink, but This Rookie Steals Fans’ Attention After First WNBA Start

An enticing battle took place in front of a sold-out Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The top two picks in this year’s WNBA drafts Caitlin Clark and Cameron Brink were turning the heat in the important inter-conference clash. However, they weren’t the only rookies capable of stealing the spotlight. Getting her first start this season, the 4th overall pick by the LA Sparks Rickea Jackson showcased her supreme brand of basketball to make the occasion more memorable. Seemingly, she presented an example of her distinctive skills before the opening half ran out of its course.

With 7:23 still to go in the second quarter, Fever’s Lexie Hull was all set to secure 2 more points for the hosts. Anyhow, that wasn’t to be, as Jackson produced a staggering steal by snatching away the ball just when she was about to score. She followed this execution by converting both her shots from the free throw line in that very minute.

Her efforts proved essential in the end as Sparks clinched the game 88-82. She ended up being the third-best performer in the locker room garnering 12 points along with 1 rebound, 1 assist, and 2 steals. In addition to this, Jackson was 2 of 7 in her field goals and converted 1 out of her 3 attempts from beyond the arc. To add further delight for the Sparks’ fans, the 23-year-old was 7 from 10 in her free throws.

Following this, fans have been in a frenzy flooding social media with reactions.

Rickea Jackson delights fans with her first start

The social media was glad to see Jackson spending some quality time on the hardwood. From the bench, the 6 ft 2 forward was averaging 9.8 points per game in her previous 5 contests. Apparently, these are the best numbers for any player off the bench in the opening 2 weeks of the tournament. Keeping that in mind, one X user opined that she deserves more playing time . The comment was, “Need to play her more.” 

Rickea Jackson maintained an average of 17.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists throughout her college basketball career. These numbers make her a force to be reckoned with in women’s basketball. One of her fans pointed that out and termed her as an exceptional player. The fan expressed, “She is a class A #baller.” 

Currently, Jackson is scoring an average of 10.16 points and 2.16 rebounds in each contest. Some are convinced that at this pace, she can end up being the Rookie of The Year beating the likes of Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and her own teammate Cameron Brink. A Rickea Jackson supporter wrote, “ROY.. book it now. Before the odds make her the favorite in a week.” 

For most of the time in the penultimate quarter, Jackson was seen on the bench. This became unacceptable for the fans and they laid out their annoyance over it. Commending her performance, one fan said, “Barely played the 4th quarter. That was disappointing. But solid performance. Plus the W.” 

One of them stated the nature of her steal as nasty and loved the moment. The fan commented, “Nasty! yasssss.” 

Nasty! yasssss

— LovelyRenee (@AshleyD88560024) May 29, 2024

The endeavors of Sparks’ No.2 proved crucial in the ends. With this win, LA now have 2 wins out of their 6 games so far this season. However, there is still work to be done considering they are placed at the bottom of the 2024 Western Conference Standings.