How Detroit native Rickea Jackson is taking over the WNBA in Los Angeles

Rickea Jackson has become one of the WNBA’s brightest rising stars, and she’s done it the only way she knows how — by being herself.

The Detroit Edison graduate and 2019 recipient of the Michigan Mick McCabe Miss Basketball Award was already the top prospect to ever come out of the state. Drafted fourth overall in April by the Los Angeles Sparks out of Tennessee, Jackson was one of the top starters in a historic class that included Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. Jackson is averaging 11.5 points and 3.7 rebounds per game in the Sparks’ first 25 games.

But her influence as a professional extends beyond the court.

Her style has been featured in Elle magazine, and her pregame looks regularly go viral. She’s the first WNBA player to be an ambassador for footwear brand Sketchers. And she’s enjoying the spotlight with teammate Cameron Brink (April’s second pick), with whom she hopes to ultimately turn around the Sparks’ fortunes.

The Free Press spoke with Jackson to talk about her rookie season, expressing herself through fashion, the growing popularity of the WNBA and how she brought Detroit with her to Los Angeles.

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Tell us about the first half of your rookie season. What did you learn not only about the game but also about yourself?

“I just stay true to myself and be physical. I feel like I have my ups and downs, but that’s normal when you’re a rookie. Just being here in Los Angeles with my coaches and teammates has made it worth it, and even though we’re not where we want to be, we’re just pushing and trying to get better every day.”

What was the biggest change and what was easier than you expected?

“The biggest change, I would say, is guarding the 3-ball. (Small forwards). I’m usually a (power forward), so coming in here, I was a 3 and had to guard faster defenders and things like that. It’s something I’m still learning every day. But I feel like I’ve taken a lot of steps doing that. Something that’s come easier, I would say, is the veterans and how much they support me.”

Who could you turn to for support and advice?

“I’m not one to just go out and meet people, but honestly, having the veterans come out to me means a lot. Some of my team and some of the other teams, I feel like that helps. Natasha Cloud, A’Ja Wilson, DeWanna Bonner, those are the ones that have consistently shown me their support, which means a lot. My godsister, Betnijah Laney. That alone is pretty cool for a rookie.”

What does it mean to you to be one of the best players in a historic rookie class?

“It means a lot to be a part of it. I’m glad the league is starting to move in the right direction, getting the things it deserves. I feel like it’s a lot more, that we can continue to grow as a league, but I feel like we’re taking the right steps. It’s been a pretty cool experience.”

What about the growing popularity of the female game as a whole? We’ve been waiting for this for a long time, but what’s special about it now? And what do you attribute it to?

“Everyone is just being themselves. It’s 2024, it’s better to be yourself. It’s more accepted and people are taking advantage of it, whether you’re talking crap on the pitch or just scoring points, people are really getting involved. I feel like every time a new fan watches the league, they fall in love with it and quickly find their player and say, ‘Oh, why didn’t I watch this before?’ That’s all people are getting involved and finally giving it a chance, like, let’s see what it says. And then they see it and fall in love with it.”

You talk about being able to be yourself. Your fashion has garnered a lot of attention, especially on social media. What did that mean to you as a form of personal expression?

“It’s pretty cool that you can be cute before the games. Basketball, you’re there and you have to be a dog. But before you go to work, you can be a little cute. I love doing that, showing my fashion side. I want to be a model someday, so that was pretty cool to do every day, choosing my outfits.”

What is your process for deciding on your pregame fits? Do you have a stylist or is it mostly you?

“I work with a stylist, but most of the outfits that I put together, like 90% of them, I do myself. Like my last outfit, I literally picked out an outfit like 20, 30 minutes before I went out. I was so tired the night before from training all day. That night before the game, I took a nap and I was like, ‘Oh my god, what am I going to wear?’ I was wearing my Sketchers, which are coming out soon. Honestly, I just threw it together and it just happened.”

Speaking of the Sketchers, you became their first WNBA ambassador this season. What does that mean to you?

“It means a lot. Being the first at something is just crazy because you go down in history forever. Nobody can forget the first, no matter what it is. Being that, in itself, was a blessing.”

Of course, you have a friend and rookie teammate in Cameron Brink (who played in 15 games this season before suffering a season-ending knee injury). What has it been like sharing this journey with her and how has that friendship blossomed?

“Cam is my girlfriend and I wish she was there to have fun with me because we would definitely do some special things. Unfortunately, things happen. I hate that it happened, but just growing our friendship means a lot to me. Cam is an amazing person. She walks into a room and brightens it up. There could be dead roses on the floor. She touches them and they start growing again. That shows what kind of person she is. She’s such a good person. She’s always supporting me and giving me words of wisdom and stuff like that. Having her as a friend means a lot to me and I’m so grateful that I got to come to L.A. with her.”

Sparks have struggled a bit this season (going 6-19 before the Olympics), but you could look forward to what you and she can accomplish in the future. How exciting is it to know you’re a duo that could turn things around over time?

“It’s super exciting. We came here, top-five draft picks, and I feel like we’re going to do really big things next year when she comes back, for sure.”

You wore the buffs on draft night. Detroiters are typically very proud of their city. How did you carry that Detroit pride with you?

“I just care about being myself. Detroit people, we don’t have to do too much. We just chill, we just vibe, we’re discreet, but people always feel our presence wherever we go. People gravitate towards us. That’s what I do, I never feel like I have to do too much. When I do my thing, it’s very legitimate, so.”

It seems like Detroit culture has been getting a lot more national attention lately, including a lot of athletes wearing buffs. We saw Cade Cunningham wearing them at his draft.

“We got our own swag, we got our own music. We’re not afraid to be ourselves, and if you don’t like it, we don’t care. We just, again, being true to ourselves, people gravitate towards confident people. Detroit people, we’re confident. People gravitate towards good vibes, good spirit and just that go-getter, push-the-barrel mentality.”

Seeing your success, what would you tell your younger self?

“I would tell my younger self that there is always light at the end of the tunnel. Stay true to who you are and keep going, no matter what happens in life. Trust God, put Him first, and that will help you overcome anything.”

Finally, what else would you like to achieve this season with a month to go?

“Make it to the playoffs.”

Contact Omari Sankofa II at [email protected]. Follow him @omarisankofa.