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    Sparks’ leading scorer Dearica Hamby back for 4th season
    • April 11, 2026

    The Sparks continue to build what looks to be a strong roster with the return of Dearica Hamby.

    The forward posted on social media Saturday morning her intentions to stay in Los Angeles for a fourth season.

    The three-time All-Star has averaged 15.0 points and 7.7 rebounds with the Sparks, who acquired her and a 2024 first-round pick from the Las Vegas Aces in 2023 for center Amanda Zahui B. and a 2024 second-round pick.

    Hamby, 32, won a 2022 WNBA title and two Sixth Person of the Year awards with the Aces before an acrimonious split in which she accused the franchise of bullying and retaliating against her for being pregnant, which the team denied.

    A WNBA investigation found that the Aces violated league rules, which cost them a 2025 first-round draft pick and resulted in coach Becky Hammon being suspended for two games without pay.

    Hamby filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the Aces in August 2024, with both parties agreeing to dismiss the suit in December with prejudice.

    Last season, the 6-foot-3 Hamby posted two career highs – a team-high 18.4 points per game while shooting 57.2% from the field – to go with 7.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists.

    The announcement comes amid a whirlwind of WNBA offseason moves and one day after Nneka Ogwumike announced she would be returning to the Sparks, whom she led to a WNBA championship during her MVP season in 2016 after it drafted her No. 1 overall in 2014. The 10-time All-Star forward spent the past two seasons with the Seattle Storm.

    Hamby and Ogwumike will join All-Star guard Kelsey Plum, who averaged 19.5 points along with career highs in assists (5.7), rebounds (3.1) and steals (1.2) in 2025, and 2024 No. 2 overall pick Cameron Brink. The 6-foot-4 forward averaged 6.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in limited action last season after missing all but one game of the 2024 season with a torn ACL.

    The Sparks did lose a key inside presence as center Azura Stevens is returning to the Chicago Sky, with whom she won a title in 2021. The 6-foot-6 center spent the past three seasons with the Sparks.

    Last season, Stevens averaged career highs in points (12.8), rebounds (8.0), assists (2.1) and 3-pointers (1.7) and finished second to Golden State’s Veronica Burton for the WNBA’s Most Improved Player award.

    The Sparks, who finished 21-23 last season and have not qualified for the postseason since 2020, open the season May 10 against the defending champion Aces at Crypto.com Arena.

    ​ Orange County Register 

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