Believe it or not, we are a quarter of the way through the 2024 WNBA season, and here are the Sparks players who have shined so far.
The Sparks have hit the end of the first quarter of the 2024 WNBA season and sit at 3-7, placing them 10th in the standings. Wins may be few and far between, but what players have shined during the beginning of the year?
Here is a look at team awards at the quarter mark:
MVP: Dearica Hamby
You may have a different favorite, but you can’t name a better player on this Sparks team than Dearica Hamby. She’s averaging 20.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.8 steals per game. All these numbers are team highs and career highs.
WHAT A PLAY BY HAMBY
After snatching the steal, Dearica Hamby spins in transition, putting the @LASparks up by three in the 4Q
DAL-LAS on #IONWNBA as part of WNBA Commissioner’s Cup presented by @coinbase pic.twitter.com/Y15ctM9b4F
— WNBA (@WNBA) June 8, 2024
During training camp, head coach Curt Miller mentioned that there wasn’t a bonafide leader on this team, but 10 games in, Miller’s hypothesis is not supported by the evidence on the floor. There is a leader—and it’s Hamby. She’s the best player, a consummate professional and a vocal leader on and off the floor.
Hamby is already a two-time All-Star, and if she continues this level of play, she’ll be heading to Phoenix this July to represent the Sparks for her third All-Star honor.
DPOY: Cameron Brink
How good Cameron Brink already is as a defender in her rookie year is ineffable. The WNBA could double the size of the rim, and it wouldn’t matter because any shot attempts near the basket are getting blocked by Brink anyways. She’s averaging 2.5 rejections per game, which is third-best in the league; her 25 blocks put her just five behind Ezi Magbegor for the top spot.
It’s not just protecting the rim where Brink shines. She’s handling the league’s physicality well and is fast enough to switch on guards without being vulnerable to being targeted as a mismatch.
Cameron Brink with the block and she is HYPED #WNBA pic.twitter.com/whWnqafdMf
— Tyler DeLuca (@TylerDeLuca) June 8, 2024
She needs to work on her offensive game and her propensity to foul, but defensively, she’s already one of the best in the league and clearly the best in a Sparks uniform.
Sixth POY: Aari McDonald
This award was a tough one to give out. The bench has struggled to be a positive, especially since Rickea Jackson, who had split time between the bench and the starting lineup, is going to be a starter from here on out. So, I went with a player who hasn’t started any games this season: Aari McDonald.
Her play has been a mixed bag, but she’s playing 16.3 minuets per game and producing a respectable 5.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Her best performance came against the Indiana Fever, where she scored 21 points to help the Sparks earn the road win.
Aari McDonald stepped up big time in tonight’s win vs the Fever
The @LASparks guard tallied 21 PTS, shooting an impressive 6-9 from the field and 3-5 from beyond the arc #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/7pgwlylw9D
— WNBA (@WNBA) May 29, 2024
McDonald’s play hasn’t been spectacular, but she’s been consistent and you can see how she’s getting more and more comfortable playing under Miller as the season has progressed. Hopefully, she only gets better as the season continues.
MIP: Dearica Hamby
Most Valuable and Most Improved? Sure, why not.
Hamby has exceeded all expectations early on, and with her numbers taking an enormous jump, no one else on the roster has improved more from 2023 to 2024 quite like Hamby. I can see a guard like Kia Nurse or Lexie Brown eventually winning this award at year’s end, but right now, Hamby has improved the most.
L.A. forward Dearica Hamby now has eight double-doubles in her first 10 games of the season. Already has 18 PTS, 10 REB and 3 AST with one quarter to play
— LA Sparks PR (@LASparksPR) June 8, 2024
Peak Performers
This category highlights the leaders in key statistical categories. No opinion, just stats.
- Scoring: Dearica Hamby, 20.4 points per game.
- Rebounding: Dearcia Hamby, 11.6 rebounds per game
- Assists: Dearica Hamby, 3.4 assists per game.
It will be interesting to see how much this changes by the halfway mark of the season. Will a new bench player emerge as the best? Will anyone besides Hamby dramatically improve? Can the team fight for a playoff spot?
June should be fun in Southern California.
Commercials Cooperation Advertisements:
(1) IT Teacher IT Freelance
立刻註冊及報名電腦補習課程吧!
电子计算机 -教育 -IT 電腦班” ( IT電腦補習 ) 提供一個方便的电子计算机 教育平台, 為大家配對信息技术, 電腦 老師, IT freelance 和 programming expert. 讓大家方便地就能找到合適的電腦補習, 電腦班, 家教, 私人老師.
We are a education and information platform which you can find a IT private tutorial teacher or freelance.
Also we provide different information about information technology, Computer, programming, mobile, Android, apple, game, movie, anime, animation…
(2) ITSec
www.ITSeceu.uk
Secure Your Computers from Cyber Threats and mitigate risks with professional services to defend Hackers.
ITSec provide IT Security and Compliance Services, including IT Compliance Services, Risk Assessment, IT Audit, Security Assessment and Audit, ISO 27001 Consulting and Certification, GDPR Compliance Services, Privacy Impact Assessment (PIA), Penetration test, Ethical Hacking, Vulnerabilities scan, IT Consulting, Data Privacy Consulting, Data Protection Services, Information Security Consulting, Cyber Security Consulting, Network Security Audit, Security Awareness Training.
Contact us right away.
Email (Prefer using email to contact us):
SalesExecutive@ITSec.vip