The Sparks’ future may be bright, but Dearica Hamby is the now
LOS ANGELES — The Sparks are a quarter of the way through the 2024 season and are in a far worse place standing-wise than last year when they sat at .500 ten games in. Even so, fans are as excited as ever and there is a buzz in Southern California largely due to the arrival of their two lottery picks, Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. Both players have excelled and are somehow exceeding even the unfair expectations bestowed upon them to carry the Sparks into a bright new day. One day, this dynamic duo may lead the franchise to championship glory, but that day is not today. Right now, one player leads the team in points, rebounds, assists, steals and minutes.
Dearica Hamby.
In her second year as a Spark and her tenth year in the league, Hamby has proven that she’s ready to be the queen of Los Angeles and take on all the responsibility that comes with it. “She leads not only by example,” Curt Miller said postgame following their Friday night win over the Wings. “She plays hard, she shows up. Again, last year [she was] the only player to play 40 games. She has a sore back, she is playing and logging a lot of minutes and we’re asking her to continue to do what she does best and use her motor. I can’t be more proud. She’s leading vocally, It’s not always easy to lead vocally from the post position. She’s really trying to lead and encourage. She’s really an encourager to Cam (Brink). And nuturer to try to bring Cam through.
“This rookie class, we’re tired of talking about it, but rookies are going to have an adjustment,” Miller continued. “And to watch her try to mentor Cam and talk her through things and Rickea is just really impressive. You get that naturally more from point guards, so to see it come from the post, she can’t do anything more than she’s doing. She’s just been incredibly impressive. As we creep closer to the Olympic break Dearica Hamby has to be an All-Star.”
Hamby has been an All-Star before, but those previous instances came when she was in Las Vegas. Now, she’s a walking double-double for the Sparks, tallying eight in ten games, including on Friday.
For those Aces teams, Hamby didn’t have to be a leader. She could just play free and be the x-factor for a team filled with stars. Here, in the City of Angeles, she’s given a taller task.
Throughout the game, she directs the action like a conductor of an orchestra, pointing to where Brink needs to go and yelling when a smaller defender is trying to sneak into the paint and grab a rebound.
With the game hanging in the balance in the fourth against Dallas, she rose to the challenge, swiping the ball from Teaira McCowan and starting a one-woman fastbreak, which ended with Hamby spinning like a ballerina around Arike Ogunbowale to convert a basket.
Hamby ended the night playing 31 minutes, scoring 22 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. It was another valiant effort from the Jordan Brand athlete, but this time, it didn’t end in vain, but with a victory.
She not only led in multiple statistical categories, but she also helped her running mate Brink earn her first double-double of her career.
Brink celebrated with the jubilance you expect from a young star in L.A. She embraced Hamby on the floor, did the postgame broadcast interview and even met one of her favorite NBA players, Jimmy Butler, who was in attendance wearing her No. 22 jersey.
She ran into the locker room and yelled out a guttural scream that sounded like a bit of elation and the release of pent-up frustration over having lost three games in a row.
Hamby followed Brink to the locker room moments later, but much more reserved, with a light jog and a grin on her face and sweat dripping from her brow.
After the game, Hamby discussed why leadership looks different from her now in her second year under Curt Miller.
“Just my confidence and I think his confidence in me,” Hamby said. “Last year was a year for everybody to try and figure it out what it would look like. Just new kind of everything and we’re doing that again.”
The win tonight was needed, especially with the team being 3-7 and near the bottom of the league yet again. Miller is well aware that, as well as the Sparks played tonight, work is needed to get this team where they want to go.
“I know it’s going to take time, and it doesn’t always show up in wins,” Miller said. “I look at this as our second first year with a new kind of build on what we’re doing. So, I love that we’re going to have some inconsistency in May and early June. But we’re growing, we’re learning each other, they’re learning me and I see something that could really build down the road.”
Down the road is where hope and opportunity lie, but in the meantime, it’s good that Hamby is here to help guide them there.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.