{"id":130886,"date":"2024-06-11T20:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-06-11T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swishappeal.com\/wnba\/2024\/6\/11\/24174980\/wnba-los-angeles-sparks-rickea-jackson-rookie-report-scoring-sixth-woman-starter-defense-rebounding"},"modified":"2024-06-11T20:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-06-11T19:00:00","slug":"rookie-report-rickea-jackson-is-exceeding-expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gamefootballmobileanimeiphone.com\/index.php\/2024\/06\/11\/rookie-report-rickea-jackson-is-exceeding-expectations\/","title":{"rendered":"Rookie Report: Rickea Jackson is exceeding expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Rickea Jackson already has claimed a starting spot for the Los Angeles Sparks. | Photo by Juan Ocampo\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rickea Jackson began the season on the bench, scoring in bunches for the Sparks. Now she\u2019s starting, and figuring out just how good she can be. <\/p>\n

Rickea Jackson wasn’t even supposed to be a Los Angeles Spark. <\/p>\n

Many mock drafts had Jackson going No. 3 to the Chicago Sky, with it assumed that the Sparks then would go for two bigs and pair Cameron Brink with someone like Kamilla Cardoso. Well, that’s why they are mock drafts. In the end, teams acted differently, with Chicago selecting Cardoso and the Sparks taking Jackson at No. 4.<\/p>\n

From the moment Jackson donned the purple and gold uniform, she exuded confidence. She was grinning from ear to ear on draft night, made an appearance on SportsCenter<\/em><\/a> <\/em>at the start of training camp and discussed this new generation she’s a part of:<\/p>\n

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It means a lot to be in this generation. I definitely agree this is a generation-changing class that\u2019s coming into the league. I feel like we aren\u2019t afraid to be ourselves. We\u2019re coming in as that new feather that\u2019s just like you can be like, you can be yourself, you can talk trash, you can be competitive, no matter who you\u2019re going up against. So I feel like that in itself is just bringing more viewers because, you know, we\u2019re just not afraid to be ourselves.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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\n Photo by Mike Lawrence\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/cite>
The Sparks selected Rickea Jackson with the No. 4 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

At training camp, players often can be a bit quiet, and a lot of what you hear is the same old player speak. Phrases like, “just want to help the team win,” “whatever coach wants me to do,” and “I love my teammates” are repeated hundreds of times by dozens of players. However, Jackson said she wanted to be Sixth Woman of the Year before play even began. <\/p>\n

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Rickea Jackson told me before the season she wants to be the Sixth Woman of the Year. https:\/\/t.co\/fewjIyVDNs<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 John W. Davis (@johnwdavis) May 22, 2024<\/a>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n