Former Lady Vol standout Rickea Jackson is making an immediate impact in the Windy City. The Chicago Sky forward led her team in scoring during a hard-fought 69-63 road victory over the Golden State Valkyries on Wednesday night at Chase Center in San Francisco.
Jackson, who started and logged 39 minutes, poured in 18 points on 6-of-18 shooting from the field, including 1-of-5 from beyond the arc and a solid 5-of-6 from the free-throw line. But her contributions went beyond scoring—she also grabbed five rebounds, dished out five assists, recorded one steal, and swatted two blocks in a well-rounded performance that helped Chicago improve to 2-0 on the season.
Skylar Diggins-Smith chipped in 15 points as the Sky's second-leading scorer, but it was Jackson's versatility that stole the show. The 6-foot-2 forward has quickly become a key piece for Chicago after being traded from the Los Angeles Sparks in exchange for Ariel Atkins on April 12.
The No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 WNBA draft, Jackson spent her collegiate career at Tennessee from 2022-24 after transferring from Mississippi State. During her final season with the Lady Vols, she averaged an impressive 20.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, earning USA TODAY Sports Network All-SEC First-Team honors twice.
Next up for Chicago is a Friday night showdown against the Phoenix Mercury, with tipoff set for 10 p.m. EDT. The Sky will look to keep their undefeated streak alive as Jackson continues to prove she's a force to be reckoned with in the WNBA.
