It just hasn’t been the year for the LA Sparks, starting off the campaign with 4 losses in the first 5 games. But for their star forward, Dericka Hamby, it has all been the best of effort regardless of the unfortunate momentum. The Sparks #5 put up no less than 16 for 13 games straight and just impressive enough on rebounds to make the top 5 in the league. On the way to receiving her fruits now, Hamby finds her name next to the star of the season, A’ja Wilson.

According to a tweet by LA Sparks PR posted on September 18th, the WNBA’s Most Improved Player contender is the only player besides two-time MVP A’ja Wilson to rank in the top 10 in the league for RPG, SPG, and FG%. The Aces’ center’s dominance is quite evident on the court. In just a few games, she ended up recording the most rebounds and points scored by a WNBA player in a single season.

The league’s leader in scoring also boasts a 51.8% FG% alongside 11.9 rebounds and 1.8 per contest. But Dearica Hamby is not far behind. Despite Wilson’s long list of achievements, Hamby sits just below her with 9.3 rebounds (5) and 1.7 steals per game (8). Hamby also shines with her 50% field goal percentage (8). But for the forward, to stand next to Wilson was a distant memory until last year.

In her first season with the Los Angeles Sparks in 2023, she averaged a mere 8.9 points with 43.1% shooting accuracy, alongside 1.8 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game. We see the obvious trajectory in her stats now.

Is Hamby 2024 Most Improved Player of the Year?

Even for Hamby, the improvement is quite evident. “I know people would argue like, ‘you’ve always been good,’ but I still think I’ve improved my skill set… I’ve been able to be super efficient with that,” she expressed to SB Nation. As of now, the anchor of the team with the league’s worst record has nearly doubled her numbers from last year.

She’s averaging 17.1 points with 50.9% shooting accuracy and 9.3 rebounds per game, making her an unconventional candidate for Most Improved Player of the Year. She’s been an All-Star three times and has averaged double figures across three WNBA teams. But this year has been her best by numbers. The last time she got any close to her current average, it was in 2020 at 13.

Earlier this year, she also returned home from Paris with a sparkling bronze medal around her neck. This only solidified her presence as the Most Improved Player, even in the eyes of her coach, Curt Miller. “She flat-out deserves the Most Improved Player in the league — her shooting percentage is up, her points are up, her rebounds are up, every statistical category is up,” the head coach shared earlier this week.

According to him, she checks the boxes in every single area and has improved in a diverse range of skills over the past year. The Sparks’ standout might have been crowned by her coach, but the league is yet to give her the recognition for this achievement. Will it be possible?