With the LA Sparks currently in the midst of a 4-14 season, one of the brights spots this year has been Dearica Hamby. Dearica Hamby has been putting up career numbers for the Sparks this season and on Tuesday it was announced that she was selected to the WNBA All-Star game.
The 2024 Olympics are set to take place this summer and so the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game format will look a little different. Rather than the draft format to select each All-Star team, a singular WNBA All-Star team will square off against the 12-player Team USA Olympic roster.
Prior to the WNBA All-Star announcement, Sparks head coach Curt Miller spoke before the team's Tuesday game against the Washington Mystics about how important Hamby has been for the team this season.
“Dearica has had such a terrific year, just really, really special leading us on and off the court. Willingness at times, carrying us at times. . .you're seeing things that, someone who's a veteran in this league is still breaking her own records, the amount of threes she made in a half the other night, was really remarkable,” Miller said. “I hope that this room helps champion exactly the type of year that Dearica is having. Not only the points and the rebounds, but just everything else she's doing leading this team.”
Dearica Hamby putting up career stats amid WNBA All-Star selection
Dearica Hamby is in her second season with the Sparks and so far this has been the best season of her career statistically. Hamby was acquired by the Sparks in the 2023 offseason in a trade with the Las Vegas Aces.
Hamby began her WNBA career with the Aces franchise when they were still the San Antonio Stars. She was the No. 6 overall pick in the 2015 WNBA Draft by the then Stars. She played for the organization for eight seasons, including their inaugural season in Las Vegas.
During her Aces tenure, Hamby was selected to the All-Star team twice in 2021 and 2022. She was also named the WNBA Sixth Player of the Year in consecutive seasons in 2019 and 2020.
This year, Hamby has appeared in all 18 games for the Sparks as the starting power forward at a little over 35 minutes per game. She's been averaging 18.4 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 51.9 percent shooting from the field, 45 percent shooting from the three-point line and 62 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Her points, rebounds and assists are all career-highs.
In addition to being named an WNBA All-Star, Hamby will also represent Team USA at the Paris Olympics in the 3×3 competition. She was named as a replacement to the team following Sparks teammate Cameron Brink being unable to play due to an ACL injury she suffered last month.
Hamby will suit up alongside the Atlanta Dream's Rhyne Howard, TCU's Hailey Van Lith and former WNBA player Cierra Burdick. Team USA won a gold medal during the inaugural 3×3 competition at the 2020 Olympics. That team was comprised of the Las Vegas Aces' Kelsey Plum and Jackie Young, the Washington Mystics' Stefanie Dolson and the Dream's Allisha Gray.
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