Los Angeles Sparks star Dearica Hamby recently received the 2024 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award. The WNBA world took notice of Hamby's award, and even an NBA legend gave Hamby a shoutout on X (formerly Twitter).
Congratulations @dearicamarie! 👏🏾 https://t.co/qMiUpzN4Fo
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) October 2, 2024
"Congratulations (Dearica Hamby)," Magic Johnson wrote.
Hamby's award is especially impressive since the Sparks finished with the worst record in the WNBA in 2024. She likely dealt with frustration as a result. Yet, Hamby continued to display impressive sportsmanship on the floor.
The 2024 campaign was a forgettable one overall for the Sparks. They won only eight games and the team and head coach Curt Miller decided to part ways after the season. With that being said, Hamby still had a quality season from an individual standpoint.
Dearica Hamby played well despite Sparks' struggles in 2024
Hamby's sportsmanship was impressive, but she also recorded strong numbers in 2024. In fact, she was selected to her third career All-Star team.
Hamby averaged 17.3 points per game on 51.2 percent field goal and 34.1 percent three-point shooting. She added 9.2 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.7 steals per game as well. The 30-year-old played at a high level throughout the '24 campaign.
The Sparks, meanwhile, have questions to answer. They are currently in the process of looking for their next head coach. LA also needs to address some roster uncertainty.
One has to imagine that they would love to keep Hamby on the roster for years to come. Hamby surely wants to compete, though, so Los Angeles needs to make it clear what direction the franchise is headed in.
Hamby's future with Sparks
Hamby has played at the WNBA level since 2015. 2024 was her second season in Los Angeles. She has one season remaining on her contract before entering free agency. The Sparks, again, likely want to keep Hamby on the roster for the foreseeable future. However, if they don't believe they can compete anytime soon then perhaps LA will consider trading Hamby ahead of her contract year.
Of course, the Sparks may be able to compete during the 2025 campaign. Cameron Brink, who was selected second overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, should be able to impact the 2025 team if she can stay healthy. The Sparks may look to add in free agency or via trade during the offseason.
The Sparks' offseason may ultimately determine if they attempt to re-sign Dearica Hamby past the 2025 season.