With the regular season coming to a close, the Los Angeles Sparks can ill afford to slip up. But they now have to thread the eye of a needle if they were to qualify for the playoffs in 2025 after they suffered an 86-75 loss to the Atlanta Dream on Wednesday. Even then, it's not due to the fault of Dearica Hamby, who did everything in her power (dropping 21 points, nine rebounds, and four assists), to try and put her team in a position to win.

Even though the Sparks lost, Wednesday was at least a night to remember for Hamby. She crossed the 4,000-point mark for her WNBA career, and in so doing, she became a part of a very exclusive club.

According to the Sparks' official account on X, Hamby became just the third player in WNBA history to record at least 4,000 points, 2,200 rebounds, 650 assists, and 350 steals for one's career while shooting 49 percent from the field or better. The only other two players to accomplish the feat, according to StatMuse, are Nneka Ogwumike and Candice Dupree, two multi-time All-Stars who were known for their well-rounded games.

Hamby has always been a swiss-army knife who contributed to winning, and she was a major part of the Las Vegas Aces' core group of players that turned the franchise around. She won a WNBA title with the group in 2022, although she's yet to find success in a Sparks uniform, with the team recording a losing record in 2023 and 2024 and being on pace to do so yet again in 2025.

Whatever the case may be, Hamby is a legitimate star for the Sparks, although she got no love this year when she missed out on the All-Star Game. On the year, she is currently averaging 18.3 points. 8.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game on 57.7 percent shooting from the field.

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Sparks fighting an uphill climb in playoff chase

Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby (5) and Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally (0) battle for the loose ball during the second half at College Park Center.
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

If the season ended today, the Sparks would be on the outside looking in on the playoff picture, barely missing out on proceedings by being 1.5 games behind the current eighth-seeded Indiana Fever. And with four games remaining in the season for LA, a lot of things have to go right for them to squeeze in.

It would be one thing for the Sparks if they had an easier schedule. But three of their final four games will be coming against playoff-bound teams in the Dream, Las Vegas Aces, and Phoenix Mercury — all of which are fighting for playoff positioning.