"Tired of getting cooked": Sparks' Rickea Jackson drops blunt assessment of her defensive improvement

By Sahir Bhojwani

Modified Sep 09, 2024 15:20 GMT

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There hasn't been much to cheer about for Los Angeles Sparks fans, but the rise of forward Rickea Jackson has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise disappointing season. The rookie out of the University of Tennessee was known for her exceptional ability to score points and is now working hard to improve on the defensive front.

During a recent exchange with a WNBA fan on X, Jackson was candid and blunt when evaluating her defensive performance over the season. After the fan commented that Jackson's defense had "gotten so much better," the Sparks forward shared the following response:

"Got tired of getting cooked."

The 23-year-old has had to adjust and adapt to the high level of basketball played in the WNBA, and she has been working hard on improving her defense.

Rickea Jackson's relentless, high-intensity defense against the Connecticut Sun on Sunday did not go unnoticed. She played all 40 minutes and recorded four rebounds, three steals and a block in the 79-67 loss.

As a team, the Sparks held a talented Sun roster to just 79 points, a significant improvement from the 86.4 points per game they have conceded over the season.

On the offensive front, the talented forward finished with a game-high 23 points on 9/18 shooting in her team's defeat to the Sun.

It has been a difficult rookie season for Jackson and the Sparks. The team currently sits last in the WNBA standings with a 7-28 record and is set to miss out on the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

Rickea Jackson is a member of the star-studded 2024 WNBA rookie class

LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson shoots the ball against Seattle Storm at Crypto.com Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

Rickea Jackson attended Mississippi State University before transferring to the University of Tennessee, where she played under coach Kellie Harper. She averaged 19.6 points, 7 rebounds and 1.8 assists over 60 games with the Lady

Jackson was one of the top prospects in her draft class, with plenty of interest in the 6-foot-2 sharpshooter. After impressing in her collegiate career, she was selected as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft.

This turned out to be one of the most talented draft classes the league has seen. Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have been garnering most of the attention due to their record-breaking seasons. Cameron Brink, Kamilla Cardoso and Jacy Sheldon are some of the other notable names in this star-studded rookie class.