The Los Angeles Sparks’ 2024 season probably will finish as soon as they end their 40 regular-season video games. With simply seven wins on the yr, it will take a borderline miracle to make the playoffs.
Nonetheless, simply because LA is dropping doesn’t suggest all is misplaced; there nonetheless is way to be gained, even when wins aren’t a part of this remaining stretch of the season. Listed here are three issues to search for because the Sparks end their twenty eighth season of WNBA motion.
Rookie phenom Rickea Jackson
In August, Rickea Jackson was sensational, averaging 16.6 factors together with 3.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists. If she will be able to preserve this type of manufacturing, she not solely would be the finest participant in Los Angeles the remainder of the way in which, however she is going to probably be a lock to make the All-Rookie group. Not a lot has gone proper for the Sparks in 2024, however the improvement of Jackson is actually one in all them.
Together with her tenth level of the sport, Rickea Jackson joins an elite group of LA Sparks as the one gamers in franchise historical past to attain 400+ PTS as a rookie
Candace Parker – 610 in 2008
Nneka Ogwumike – 462 in 2012
Lisa Leslie – 445 in 1997 #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/wca9SfW31l— WNBA (@WNBA) September 2, 2024
Is Li Yueru the subsequent nice LA large?
Li Yueru has been the Sparks’ backup large for many of the second half of the yr. She’s coming off a very good sport in opposition to the Atlanta Dream, the place she scored 14 factors. However she additionally has had off video games, like her four-point efficiency in opposition to the Liberty.
If Yueru can end this season sturdy and show to be a top quality large the group can depend on, the group can look to deliver her again in 2025 as a part of this group’s core. If not, they should transfer on from her after this yr. The one method to discover out and make the perfect determination doable is to play her sufficient to get a way of which route they should take.
Are the guards in LA for the long run?
The Sparks must determine what to do with Aari McDonald and Zia Cooke. Los Angeles has struggled with guard play for years now, they usually have to find out if McDonald and Cooke match this franchise’s future.
McDonald was discovering good kind, however suffered a leg damage that pressured her to overlook seven-straight video games. She is again now, and if she will be able to run the offense and rating properly, maybe the group can retain her for subsequent yr.
Cooke has by no means discovered a spot within the rotation, however with little left to play for so far as wins are involved, I am optimistic she will be able to get some respectable run. We are able to lastly see if she has something she may give this group. If that’s the case, they will give attention to her improvement in 2025; if not, it is perhaps time to maneuver on from the Gamecock alumnus, however she ought to get an opportunity to get on the ground and provides it a go.
