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LA Sparks forward Rickea Jackson called out the "media" for sparking pregnancy rumors as she focuses on her mental health. She has missed the majority of their games so far after being placed in the WNBA's concussion protocol. She has also been dealing with personal matters.
Following the Sparks' practice on Tuesday, last year's fourth overall rookie pick out of Tennessee set the record straight about her absence, shooting down speculation that it was because she was pregnant.
“You've just got to be realistic with yourself. Like, at the end of the day, media isn't about facts anymore... So that's just the media. Just taking it with a grain of salt, and not being gullible," she said.
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"Whatever sounds the juiciest, that's what people want to go with. Like, I'm pregnant, apparently. So it’s like media is the media."
The rumor seemingly started from a cryptic post by a fan on Sunday, which others interpreted as her saying Jackson was pregnant.
Jackson responded to the rumors on Sunday by posting a picture of a ball on her belly and writing "#itsagirl." When asked by a fan why her "friend" was implying she was pregnant, Jackson distanced herself from the original poster.
Rickea Jackson has only played three games out of a possible eight in the ongoing WNBA campaign for the Sparks (2-6). She has been averaging seven points, three rebounds and 1.3 steals in 24 minutes per game.
Apart from being reported to be pregnant, another reason floating around for her absence is that she wants to be traded.
Jackson had a solid rookie season last year, finishing with averages of 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.5 assists to earn a spot in the All-WNBA Rookie Team.
The Sparks could welcome her back on Friday on the road when they play the Dallas Wings.
LA Sparks coach says Rickea Jackson a big part of the team, looks forward to having her back
The LA Sparks are looking forward to having Rickea Jackson back on the court. They consider her a big part of the organization and what they want to accomplish but also mindful to give her the space she needs to sort out things in her personal life.
Head coach Lynne Roberts spoke about it following their game against the Phoenix Mercury last weekend after their second-year forward missed her second straight game.
“Rickea is a big part of our organization and our team,” Roberts said. “She’s taking personal time, and we support her. We’re excited to get her back when she’s ready to be back.”
The Sparks have had a rough start to their campaign so far, going 2-6 with some of their key pieces still out. Apart from Rickea Jackson, still making her way back from injury is forward Cameron Brink, last year's second overall rookie pick, who suffered a knee injury midway last season.
Guard Kelsey Plum is currently leading the charge for the Sparks, with averages of 22.9 ppg, 4.8 apg, 2.4 rpg and 2.3 spg. Dearica Hamby is backstopping her with norms of 17.6 ppg and 7.9 rpg while Azura Stevens is going for 13.8 ppg and 9.3 rpg.
