Rickea Jackson scouting report: How LA Sparks’ rookie is their offensive spark plug

In a draft class of stacked rookies, LA Sparks’ rookie Rickea Jackson is the latest to begin establishing herself as a potential future star. The fourth pick dropped a career-high 25 points against the Wings on Sunday, symbolic of her shotmaking prowess. Pure scorers never fall out of style. Outside of Caitlin Clark, there might not be a young offensive player as talented as Jackson in the league.

Jackson was one of college basketball’s most potent scorers in her final year. Averaging 20.2 points per contest on solid efficiency (54.7% true shooting) and 33.8% from deep, Jackson threatened defenses from all areas of the floor. That scoring prowess has translated to the WNBA thus far, even if the mechanisms have changed.

Rickea Jackson Scouting Report

Though Rickea Jackson’s usage has (predictably) dipped dramatically from college, I’m consistently impressed with the diversity of offensive actions she scores off.

Sparks coach Curt Miller entrusts Jackson with the ball in multiple spots on the floor despite her age. Jackson’s efficiency for her top six most frequent play types (per Synergy) all eclipse average aside from post-ups (49th %tile) and spot-ups (36th %tile).

High-usage college primary initiators often struggle to scale down to lesser roles at the next level. That hasn’t been the case for Jackson, as her timing and willingness to cut and seal in the post have allowed her to thrive within the flow of offense without commanding the ball.

Jackson rarely mopes and lulls when she’s not a focal point on offense, timing cuts and moving defenders with her body to score on the interior on quick catches.

Cranking up her 3-point shooting volume has allowed Rickea Jackson to slot off the ball effectively. The three-point shooting profile thus far looks sturdy — 35.7% on 5.1 attempts per 100 possessions, the percentages and volume higher than her final two seasons in Knoxville.

This progression makes intuitive sense, as offensive attention from other threats like Dearica Hamby brings Jackson simpler looks from the perimeter. Jackson’s expanding off-the-dribble 3-point shooting could form her path toward superstardom; she’s taken 14 off-the-dribble 3s this year at an impressive 42.9% clip.

It’s common for prolific mid-range pull-up shooters to extend their range as they age and mature, and Jackson drilling those shots consistently would make her a nightmare to defend.

Even as a rookie, Jackson’s pure intermediate scoring has translated. The Sparks handed her the offensive keys, as she’s garnered significant volume as a pick-and-roll ballhandler. She’s one of 24 WNBA players with at least 70 pick-and-roll ballhandler possessions (per Synergy), generating a solid 0.78 points per possession on these plays.

At 6-foot-2, Rickea Jackson’s herky-jerky movement style and touch carry her scoring profile. She’s comfortable stopping and starting, accelerating off a standstill to beat defenders off of the dribble to the rim.

Jackson’s comfort level lies in the mid-range, where she weaponizes elite touch to nail off-dribble jumpers, movement shots and Dirk Nowitzki-like one-legged fadeaways over defenders. It’s a high-level shotmaking package, one that should help progress her toward stardom in the future.

Jackson’s passing may not be her strongest suit, evidenced by her low 9.3% assist rate and 0.69 assist-to-turnover ratio. As many rookie scorers do, Jackson’s shot selection varies in quality, and she’s raw as a technical passer.

There’s room to grow, though, given Rickea Jackson’s scoring gravity and some of the flashes of higher-level anticipation and vision she’s shown throughout the season. As she takes on an even bigger role, passing will be a crucial skill to build to complement her scoring.

Rickea Jackson's performance on the defensive end has been quite inconsistent, as is common for rookie guards. She’s prone to miscommunications and errors as an off-ball defender and resorts to fouling when defending screens and the ball.

Jackson’s agility and movement skills, combined with some of the flashes of interior rotating, will be defensive building blocks to progress on, as I wouldn’t fret much about almost any rookie struggling on the defensive end, especially on a poor defensive team like the Sparks.

What's in store for Rickea Jackson's future

Jackson’s performance thus far creates significant optimism for her future as a primary scoring option in the league. That’s an always-valuable commodity, as players who consistently create shots for themselves and others drive winning and eventual playoff success. Jackson might never be a team’s primary decision-maker or playmaker, but that won’t be necessary for her to reach stardom.

As the Sparks continue stacking talent alongside Jackson and an elite defensive anchor in Cameron Brink, their future will continue to brighten. Though the Sparks haven’t done much winning this season, Jackson establishing herself as a fledgling WNBA star is a massive victory.