Rickea Jackson entered the WNBA as the fourth overall pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft. Since then, Jackson has left little doubt that she will be part of the next generation of big-time stars in the WNBA and the key to the Sparks’ future success. She is still developing, though, and has some improvements to make.
Becoming a more consistent 3-point shooter can help Jackson take her game to the next level.
Rickea Jackson’s 3-point shot has been inconsistent this season
Jackson shot the three reasonably well as a rookie, converting 34.7 percent of her 3.1 attempts per game. So far this season, she has upped her volume, but her shooting percentage has gone down to 27 percent. Jackson shot well from long range in some games, like a 3-6 performance to open the season or a 4-8 outing in a 97-89 win over the Las Vegas Aces.
Mostly, Jackson has struggled from three, though. She is not afraid to take shots, even in the biggest moments, but hasn’t consistently converted a high number of her attempts from long range.
Improving her 3-point shot would make Jackson almost unguardable
Despite her inconsistency from three this season, Jackson has shown the ability to knock down long shots. With some more time, there is no reason why Jackson can’t become a more consistent 3-point threat.
If she does, defenses will have their hands full. Jackson is tall and athletic and can create her own shot. She is already a matchup nightmare for most forwards and wings. Expanding her range would only make her more difficult to guard.
So far this season, Jackson has been most efficient around the rim, shooting 74.6 percent in the restricted area. She has also been solid in the paint, converting 35.8 percent of her 53 attempts. Her mid-range and 3-point shots haven’t been quite as efficient. So, improving her jumper would make Jackson a true three-level scorer and a virtually unstoppable offensive force.
Teams already struggle to keep Jackson out of the paint and away from the basket. How will they guard a 6’2 athletic forward who can score in the paint, knock down a few mid-range shots, and reliably punish teams from three?
Jackson has been on a tear lately
Rickea Jackson missed a few games early in the season with a concussion but was still able to put up some great performances. Her 30-point performance against the Aces marked her best game of the season.
While Jackson hasn’t reached that number since, she has put together a string of good games. She scored between 14 and 22 points in four consecutive games now, exceeding her scoring average for the season. The Sparks won three of those four games, beating Indiana, Connecticut, and Washington and losing to Minnesota.
While Jackson was impressive overall over this stretch, her 3-point shot hasn’t been there consistently. She only shot more than 25 percent from three in the loss to Minnesota.