Rickea Jackson is a name that I’m eager to see in the Unrivaled League. She’s one of the players that caught my eye in the WNBA this season. Rickea can do it all on the court whether it be scoring, facilitating, or guarding at a high level, she’s so incredibly dynamic. She began in her hometown of Detroit, Michigan, where she was a standout in high school at Detroit Edison Public School Academy. Jackson was a McDonald’s All-American and the No. 5 overall recruit in the class of 2019. Her rare combination of size, skill, and athleticism made her one of the most coveted players in the 2019 class.
Jackson committed and began her collegiate career at Mississippi State University, where she stood out immediately. She led her team in scoring in her first year on campus, averaging 15.1 points per game and earning a spot on the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2020. In her sophomore season, she elevated her game even further, increasing her scoring average to 18.4 points per game and earning All-SEC Second Team honors. Jackson’s ability to score was evident from her freshman year as she would score in bunches from anywhere around the floor. As a wing with her skillset, she could break down any defender especially with how consistently deadly her midrange game is. However, after her third season at Mississippi State, Jackson decided to transfer to the University of Tennessee. As a Lady Vol, she still continued to flourish in the SEC as she developed into one of the more prolific scorers in the nation which finally led to her receiving an All-SEC First Team selection.
Rickea Jackson then declared for the 2024 WNBA Draft and was selected by the Dallas Wings in the first round with the 4th overall pick. She has wasted no time making her presence felt as she not only made the 2024 WNBA All-Rookie team, but she also recorded the 4th most points as a rookie in Los Angeles Sparks history. She finished her rookie season averaging 13.4 points, 3.9 boards, and 1.5 assists. I expect all of these numbers to increase during her sophomore season in the WNBA, based on the multitude of ways she was able to score. She has shown glimpses of her elite ability to drive to the basket and pull up from 3, which will translate smoothly into the Unrivaled League because her handle and shot creating skills at 6 ‘2″ makes her a matchup nightmare for both guards and bigs.


