In the aftermath of a whirlwind WNBA offseason filled with firings, LA Sparks’ rising star Rickea Jackson has thrown her hat—err, jersey—into the ring for a new gig. After the Connecticut Sun parted ways with head coach Stephanie White, Jackson took to Twitter (formerly known as X, or whatever Elon’s calling it these days) to humorously consider switching lanes from player to coach.
With seven head coaching spots now open—yes, seven, meaning over half the WNBA is apparently going through a mid-life crisis—Jackson had this to say:
“Me and Azurá bouta apply for one of them jobs,” she tweeted, referring to teammate Azurá Stevens. The pair may just be the comedic relief this league needs after all these shakeups.
Now, let’s talk about the context here. Stephanie White had barely enough time to redecorate her office before the Sun sent her packing. And she’s not alone. The LA Sparks, after a spectacularly bad season (we’re talking 8-32 bad), handed coach Curt Miller his walking papers. The Chicago Sky gave Teresa Weatherspoon the boot after one season, leaving their star forward, Angel Reese, bewildered and Twitter ablaze with reactions. The Atlanta Dream? They let go of Tanisha Wright, despite her actually making the playoffs—twice! Even the Dallas Wings parted ways with Latricia Trammell after she led them to the WNBA semifinals last year. Talk about an ungrateful bunch.
And it doesn’t stop there. Eric Thibault from the Washington Mystics got the ax last week, and Christie Sides of the Indiana Fever wasn’t spared either. It’s practically raining pink slips out here, folks.
Yet, despite this massive purge, the Connecticut Sun insists that White wasn’t “fired”—just “free to explore other opportunities.” Sure, Connecticut. We all know what that means.
But back to Jackson. Coming off a rocky rookie season that saw her start slow but finish strong, she averaged 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game—impressive stats, especially when the Sparks were, quite frankly, not. Jackson really stepped up when teammate Cameron Brink went down early with an injury, taking the wheel of a sinking ship that promptly sank anyway. The team finished dead last in the WNBA standings, prompting Miller’s departure.
Still, Rickea’s stellar performance earned her a spot on the All-Rookie First Team, alongside Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Kamilla Cardoso, and Leonie Fiebich. Fun fact: she’s the first LA Sparks rookie to receive the honor since Ana Dabovic back in 2015, which, in sports terms, feels like a lifetime ago.
But hey, brighter days might be ahead. With the top draft pick for 2025 within their grasp, and UConn superstar Paige Bueckers on the horizon, Jackson and Brink could soon have a new partner-in-crime. And who knows? Maybe Jackson really will throw her name in the coaching hat once she’s done breaking ankles on the court.