The Los Angeles Sparks had a familiar face return to practice on Tuesday in second-year wing Rickea Jackson. Jackson was placed in league concussion protocol following a hit to the face she sustained against the Minnesota Lynx back on May 18. She missed three games before returning on May 27 against the Atlanta Dream.

After the Dream game, she was briefly absent from the Sparks’ lineup for two games due to personal reasons. With the Sparks having rare practice time this week before Friday’s game against the Dallas Wings, Rickea Jackson spoke after practice about what the past few weeks have been like while she’s been sidelined, as per John W. Davis of The Southern California News Group.

“I feel better. I’ve never had a concussion before so that was definitely weird for your brain to go through those things,” Jackson said. “You wake up and you just feel out of it. But I’m happy to be back with the team.”

Against the Dream, Jackson came off the bench and finished with only a single rebound in 12 minutes. She missed the only three shots she took and was clearly a little rusty after not being able to do any real physical activity. The Sparks have two more days of practice this week before hitting the road against the Wings, a game in which Jackson expects to play.

The team is still adjusting and learning to play under new head coach Lynne Roberts’ system, and Jackson has seen steady growth even during the time she was out.

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“It’s growing. Everything is new here, new system, new everything, so it takes time. But chemistry is built on time,” Jackson said. “This new system is built to be unpredictable. Play a little freelance on the sides, but still have a structure if needed. It’s all about the chemistry. . .that’s the piece that’s continuing to build. I feel like we’re gonna get there as time goes on.”

Last season, Jackson emerged as one of the top rookies in the WNBA. She was selected with the No. 4 overall pick by the Sparks in the 2024 WNBA Draft, and she became a starter after only five games. She appeared in all 40 games while averaging 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists. She was the only rookie to average double figures in points while shooting 45+ percent from the field.

Getting Jackson back in the lineup is a major boost for the Sparks, and she’s seen encouraging signs as of late.

“It’s going to be important. I feel like the team is trending in the right direction,” Jackson said. “I feel like the third quarter is what got us down last game, but in the first half we played great basketball, we moved the ball well and I feel like that’s who we are, that’s what we are. Just continue to trust in the system.”