"Can't be that upset at her"- Lakers analyst backs Sparks rookie Rickea Jackson for standing ground against Brittney Griner

Rickea Jackson is yet to complete her first season in the WNBA but has already shown that she is unwilling to back down when confronted. During the LA Sparks' 85-81 loss to the Phoenix Mercury on Tuesday, the 23-year-old went head-to-head against one of the league's veterans in Brittney Griner and stood her ground when challenged.

The incident took place at Crypto.com Arena in the second quarter. What looked like routine free throw turned into a confrontation between Jackson and Griner. The Mercury center seemed to raise her elbow and catch Jackson in the head, leading to the Sparks forward pushing Griner. The two were separated and ejected from the game.

LA Lakers analyst and well-known sports writer Mike Bresnahan had no problem with Rickea Jackson standing up for herself. Speaking on Spectrum Sportsnet after the game, Bresnahan said:

"Can't be that upset at her because she is setting a tone for herself"

Bresnahan made the point that as a rookie in the WNBA, Jackson "can't back down." He was impressed with the way the Sparks rookie handled herself and liked how she took herself to the locker room after the incident to cool down, before coming back to realize she had been ejected.

Without one of their leading scorers, the Sparks struggled to keep pace with the Mercury's offense in the second half. LA scored just 10 points as a team in the third quarter and lost the game.

Tuesday's loss means the LA Sparks remain at the bottom of the WNBA standings with a 7-32 record. They play their final game of the season on Thursday against the Minnesota Lynx.

Rickea Jackson has been a bright spot for the LA Sparks during a disappointing season

LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson is defended by Seattle Storm forward Gabby Williams at Crypto.com Arena. Photo Credit: Imagn

It has been a disappointing season for the LA Sparks. Curt Miller's side has struggled to find any consistency and have won just seven of their 39 games this year. LA is set to miss out on the WNBA playoffs for a fourth straight season.

The addition of rookie forward Rickea Jackson has been one of the few bright spots for a Sparks fanbase that had little to cheer about. The fourth pick out of the University of Tennessee has hit the ground running with her energy and work rate.

Jackson ranks second in the Sparks roster in points (13.2) and minutes (28.6). She is also averaging 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. The Detroit native is shooting an impressive 45.6% from the field and has shown that she is confident shooting from behind the arc, converting 40 of her 116 3-pointers.

Rickea Jackson will continue to develop her game and improve in the coming years and could be a player to keep an eye on in the future.