Fans react to Lady Vols' Rickea Jackson being drafted by Los Angeles Sparks

Lady Vols forward Rickea Jackson has been drafted No. 4 overall in the WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. This will add another Lady Vol in the WNBA with an opportunity to help the Sparks get back into the playoffs.

Los Angeles has a strong foundation and has revamped its front office. Its focus is on going after some of the best talent in the WNBA and through the draft to get the Sparks back to their winning ways. Sparks fans are stoked to have the Lady Vols forward heading to LA ahead of the 2024 season.

The Sparks' new frontcourt will feature Jackson teaming up with Stanford superstar forward Cameron Brink. Those two additions alone have Sparks fans excited to get the season started a few weeks early.

Sparks fans like both picks, which could both be picks that help the Sparks get back into the playoffs for the first time in four years. I don't know how much either will impact the overall season for the Sparks, but fans are excited to have both in purple and gold.

As Grace noted, Jackson is a walking bucket. She's versatile, aggressive, and tough. Brink and Jackson bring much-needed scoring versatility as they can score all over the court. Jackson isn't afraid to get her hands dirty in the paint or score beyond the three-point line.

The Lady Vols weren't national championship contenders, and Rickea Jackson didn't make national headlines for record-breaking play, but she will be one of the best rookies in the WNBA this year, and Sparks fans are recognizing that on draft night.

The WNBA regular season starts on Tuesday, May 14, but the Sparks won't begin their season until the following day, when the Atlanta Dream make the trip to Long Beach to take on the Sparks.