logo
WNBA Rising Star's No-Pants Look Steals Spotlight Before Sparks-Valkyrie

WNBA Rising Star's No-Pants Look Steals Spotlight Before Sparks-Valkyrie

Yahoo16-06-2025
WNBA Rising Star's No-Pants Look Steals Spotlight Before Sparks-Valkyrie originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Rickea Jackson showed no signs of slowing down, whether on the court or off the court, as the Los Angeles Sparks player showcased her star power.
Advertisement
Ahead of the exciting matchup between the team and the Golden State Valkyries, the 24-year-old made her presence known with her fashion game that was hard to miss.
While the tunnel walk is part of basketball culture, she did not disappoint fans by delivering a standout look.
Rickea Jackson's outfit featured a nod to the no-pants trend as she strutted the hallways in a sexy all-black ensemble.
The Sparks forward opted for a plain black top paired with micro shorts that highlighted her long, toned legs.
In addition to this, she made the look chic by adding a longline black blazer as a layering piece.
Advertisement
Lastly, the outfit was styled with see-through black stockings with a faux leg tattoo for an edgier look and red patent stilettos for a pop of color.
In a post shared by the Sparks on Instagram, fans couldn't help but swoon over her creative and sultry pregame outfit.
'Legs for days,' one wrote.
'I see you @rickea,' a fan mentioned.
One commenter summed it up with a single word: 'ATE,' slang for looking amazing and radiating confidence in an outfit.
Another echoed the sentiment and said 'Rickea ate and left no crumbs,' meaning she owned the look with nothing left to critique.
Meanwhile, a follower praised her and teammate Sarah Barker and added a remark, 'Rickea & Sarah comin' thru wit' nice body framez.'
Advertisement
Another fan seemed at a loss for words and simply commented, 'Rickea, man,' followed by a string of heart-eyed emojis.
Rickea Jackson (2) at the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Oakland Arena.Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
During the Sparks vs. Valkyries matchup, Jackson joined Dearica Hamby, Azura Stevens, Kelsey Plum and Odyssey Sims in the starting five. The Valkyries countered with a lineup featuring Kayla Thornton, Janelle Salaun, Temi Fagbenle, Julie Vanloo and Veronica Burton.
Related: WNBA Fans Fall in Love With Rickea Jackson After Outfit Post
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

WNBA power rankings: While L.A. Sparks make a playoff push, Seattle Storm are in freefall
WNBA power rankings: While L.A. Sparks make a playoff push, Seattle Storm are in freefall

Yahoo

time3 hours ago

  • Yahoo

WNBA power rankings: While L.A. Sparks make a playoff push, Seattle Storm are in freefall

Look out for the Los Angeles Sparks. One of the league's hottest teams out of the All-Star break, the Sparks (15-16) are on the brink of a postseason berth as of Tuesday morning. They've won nine of 11, a stretch equal to that of the league-leading Minnesota Lynx, and are a half-game out of the No. 8 and final seed. Los Angeles was 6-14 a month ago. The Sparks' offensive end has exploded, and they've been fun to watch as they settled into a consistent starting lineup shortly before the break. Of the 28 times this season a WNBA team has scored at least 100 points, the Sparks and Lynx are tied with five apiece. All of the Sparks' triple-digit eruptions came in a six-game span between July 24 and Aug. 7. They're averaging 92.4 points per game since the break, only behind the Lynx (93.9). While other teams deal with troublesome injury timelines, the Sparks are healthy and available for the first time this season. Upon point guard Julie Allemand's return from leading Belgium to the EuroBasket title, first-year head coach Lynne Roberts employed a starting lineup of Allemand, Dearica Hamby, Rickea Jackson, Kelsey Plum and Azurá Stevens. They're 10-4 together, whereas the six other lineups are a combined 5-12. Allemand's presence takes dual ballhandling duties and offensive scoring pressure off of Plum, who said last week she's 'best when I take less shots.' Before Allemand's first start on July 3, Plum averaged 16.1 field goal attempts per game. It ranked third behind forwards Napheesa Collier and A'ja Wilson, and edging Caitlin Clark's 15.7 attempts. Plum shot 38% from the field and 33.6% from 3-point range while attempting on average 7.4 per game. The Sparks were 5-11, sitting 11th in the standings, with a slim three-game advantage over Connecticut. Since then, Plum is averaging 12.3 fiel-goal attempts per game (20th) on an improved 46.5% clip. She's hitting 40.6% of her average six 3-point attempts per game. Her assists also increased since the change, and she's dishing a career-high 6.1 over the course of the season. The concern is that the Sparks have needed every point, no matter where it comes from. In wins over Seattle twice, Indiana and Connecticut, the Sparks allowed at least 91 points. Their defense is deep into the red, allowing a league-worst 87.8 points per game. That's a -2.4 net rating despite the high-flying scoring affairs. No team in the league relies on defense less. Though to the Sparks' credit, they've allowed 100 points twice, whereas the Aces (four times), Liberty (four) and Sun (seven) have more experience. The increased minutes for Cameron Brink in her return from an ACL tear on July 29 should alleviate some defensive issues, including the second-highest points allowed in the paint (38.3). The second-year center is an elite rim protector with 13 blocks in 85 minutes of action, which is already in the top 40. The flip side of a team ascending is another's collapse. In a poetic stretch, the Storm's freefall from home-court advantage to the postseason's brink is currently bookended by losses to Los Angeles. Hamby scored the game-winners in both a 108-106 double-overtime win in Seattle on Aug. 1 and a 94-91 win in L.A. on Sunday. The Storm are on a five-game losing streak, falling by no more than four points in each. With plenty of season to go, the Valkyries, Storm, Sparks and Mystics are within 1.5 games of each other while battling it out for the postseason's final two berths. The Mystics and Sparks have the easier schedules, according to Tankathon. The Sparks already completed their series with Minnesota (0-4) and have yet to play Dallas once. Seattle faces one of the tougher final months behind Dallas and Indiana. The Storm have to play the Lynx (1-2), Liberty (2-0), Dream (1-1), Mercury (2-1) and Fever (0-2) at least once each. Few teams showcase the importance of any given night as the swap between the Sparks and the Storm this first part of August. Performer of the week: A'ja Wilson, Aces In the words of Aces head coach Becky Hammon, the week's best performance is 'just A'ja being A'ja.' The reigning MVP averaged 29.3 points, 13 rebounds, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks to go a perfect 3-0 this week. In a win over Golden State on the road, it was her efficiency (72.7% from the field, 11-of-11 from the free throw line) that stood out. At home against Seattle, she scored 29 points with 12 rebounds on her 29th birthday. And to close out the week, Wilson completed the league's first 30-point, 20-rebound game. Wilson's domination has Las Vegas on a four-game win streak going into a rivalry matchup with New York, and sitting at sixth in the standings. Las Vegas and Indiana are tied (18-14). Game of the week: New York vs. everybody Liberty at Sparks, Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on NBA TVLiberty at Aces, Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPNLiberty at Lynx, Saturday at 2 p.m. ET on CBS The New York Liberty count a quarter of the league as their rivals — if the WNBA schedulers are to be believed. The short-handed Liberty play three major games as part of the league's first Rivalry Week. Any missteps could lose New York ground to Atlanta on the No. 2 seed. Both are 20-11, one game ahead of Phoenix. It could be the week New York looks back on as a 'what-if' situation should the postseason go sour for their repeat chances. Yahoo Sports power poll 1. Minnesota Lynx (27-5)2. Atlanta Dream (20-11)3. New York Liberty (20-11)4. Phoenix Mercury (19-12)5. Las Vegas Aces (18-14)6. Golden State Valkyries (15-15)7. Los Angeles Sparks (15-16)8. Indiana Fever (18-14)9. Seattle Storm (16-16)10. Washington Mystics (14-17)11. Dallas Wings (8-24)12. Chicago Sky (8-23)13. Connecticut Sun (5-25)

My favorite new S.F. bar is unlike anything else in the city
My favorite new S.F. bar is unlike anything else in the city

San Francisco Chronicle​

time4 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

My favorite new S.F. bar is unlike anything else in the city

While conceptually I'm a Valkyries fan, I must admit that I have yet to attend a game at Chase Center, and I cannot name a single player under duress. I'm pretty sure the coach is Japanese American? That's all I've got. But the Valkyries-Aces game was a highlight of my July, not necessarily because of the game itself (a nailbiter, we lost 104-102), but because of where I was watching. Rikki's, San Francisco's first bar dedicated to women's sports, opened in June, and it's one of the most special spots in the city. Rikki's warns on its website that game days can get packed and so, rule follower that I am, my party showed up more than an hour before the 1 p.m. tip off to secure a table. Within 10 minutes, new arrivals were jostling for the last remaining seats. The crowd was heavily kitted out in purple and black Valkyries swag with a smattering of 'Everyone Watches Women's Sports' T-shirts sprinkled throughout. At one point during the first quarter, I started noticing pops of baby pink punctuating the sea of lavender. An entire queer softball team had arrived, names like 'Morgasm' and 'Masc Dana' emblazoned on the back of their jerseys. 'Hearthrob,' stay away from my friends. While there were definitely male sports fans in attendance (including a solo patron valiantly trying to watch the Sweden-Germany women's Euro Cup game while the rest of the bar cheered on the Valkyries), the crowd leaned heavily female and, I would wager, heavily LGBTQ. I've patronized my fair share of lesbian bars, but it's rare that I've encountered the type of intergenerational camaraderie on display at Rikki's, a bar that is not explicitly a queer bar. On my visit, a long central table was occupied by a dozen or so gay elders — and not in the sense that I've been called a 'gay elder' by Gen Z coworkers (ouch). There were walkers present. Several of Rikki's regulars are former employees or patrons of Maud's or Amelia's, the two lesbian bars owned by Rikki Streicher in the Haight-Ashbury and Mission District respectively in the '60s, '70s and '80s. I can imagine that, if you're a gay woman in your 70s, a dimly lit queer bar with loud music and pole dancing nights might not be your first choice for a local hangout. But a bar right on Market Street, easily accessed by public transportation, open during the day with women's sports always on? That's a recipe for a more age diverse community. In the bathroom, a handwritten sign affixed to the toilet read 'Please be gentle, I'm not so young!' Underneath it, someone had graffitied, 'Neither am I — I am 73!' And the food? …Did I mention how great the camaraderie is? The food is not the reason to come to Rikki's, although I'll say on my visit, the kitchen was absolutely slammed and was probably not turning out its finest work. It's standard bar fare, burgers and hot chicken sandwiches, with some thoughtful vegetarian options mixed in. I'll give them another shot at a calmer time — I will definitely be back. Rikki's. 2223 Market St., San Francisco.

Crazy Crab not quite sold on Valkyries' Violet, the Bay Area's newest mascot
Crazy Crab not quite sold on Valkyries' Violet, the Bay Area's newest mascot

San Francisco Chronicle​

time9 hours ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Crazy Crab not quite sold on Valkyries' Violet, the Bay Area's newest mascot

Ducked into a dive bar in Dogpatch on Monday night, after the Golden State Valkyries ' game. Quick stop to wind down from all the excitement. Guess who I saw? You'll never guess. Crazy Crab! In the flesh, or whatever. Quoth the Golden State Valkyries: WNBA team's mascot is a raven named Violet You remember Crazy Crab, the San Francisco Giants ' mascot in 1984. A one-season wonder, or as one scribe put it, a one-season blunder. He was conceived as an anti-mascot, meant to satirize the mascot craze. Giants' fans were supposed to hate him, and they obliged. The only open seat at the bar was next to Crazy Crab, so I eased myself in. Funny I would run into him. I had just come from the unveiling of the newest Bay Area mascot, Violet, a 6-foot-tall raven dressed as a cheerleader. She made her debut at halftime. The crowd, primed by days of hoopla buildup, was enthusiastic. 'It's OK to smoke here?' I asked, breaking the ice. 'You a narc?' Crazy Crab shot back, re-freezing the ice. 'Don't tell me, it's bad for my health. Do I look like Jack LaLanne? I'll tell you what's bad for your health: Eating crab. We're bottom feeders, full of toxins. Especially nicotine.' 'Say,' I said, 'I don't mean to bother you. . .' 'Too late,' he shot back. I continued: 'But I was a big fan of yours back in '84. I tried to get your autograph after a game as you were driving out of the players' lot. You stole my pen and drove off, laughing.' 'Glory days,' Crazy said, sarcastically. 'You know the Giants hired me to be obnoxious and offensive, right? So I worked my ass off to develop bad habits. Like this (holding up his cigarette). I mastered the art of rude. Barry Bonds studied under me. You're lucky I didn't make fun of your shirt.' 'You did!' I said. He glanced at my shirt and rolled his eyes, which were on the ends of those two stalk things sticking out of his head. He turned back to the TV above the bar, watching the Valkyries' postgame show, all about their 74-57 win over the Connecticut Sun. 'Did you watch the game?' I inquired. He sighed and said, 'That's why I'm here. I heard about the new mascot. Had to check her out. Her? It? Pronouns confuse me. Nouns confuse me. I'm a crab, not a rocket linguist.' 'What do you think? This new mascot, is she the real deal?' Drag on cig. Long pause. Exhale. 'Violet. That's her name, right, the new kid?' 'Yep, Violet.' 'Allow me to be a pain in the ass. It's my jam. The Valkyries 'adopt' this bird, put her in a basketball outfit, and she doesn't know what a basketball is? She can't make a layup? Not a dunk, a layup. Look, I'm a crab, I can make a layup.' 'She can dance a little, and do handsprings,' I said. Crazy Crab looked at me and shook his head. 'There was a lot of potential here,' he said, sadly. 'Ravens have a deep mystique in Norse mythology, as I'm sure you know. They worked closely on the battlefield with the Valkyries, they were the eyes and ears of the god Odin. In Poe's famous poem, the raven comes from 'the Night's Plutonian shore,' the underworld. This Violet chick comes from cheerleading camp.' 'It's just supposed to be a fun mascot,' I said. 'You know, do goofy stuff, grab popcorn from fans, distract opponents when they're shooting free throws.' 'Oh, I get it,' Crazy said. 'But they threw me off with the big cosmic buildup. Had me expecting power, strength, valor. Not cartwheels.' Crazy knocked back his beer and signaled to the barkeep for another. 'I'm a tough critic,' he said. 'You can't just waltz into a ballgame and become queen of the ball. If you want to crown her ass, then crown her ass. I'm going to wait and see. You a jazz fan, sport?' 'Yeah, sort of,' I said. 'Jazz musicians have a saying, when they're talking about a new cat on the scene. They ask, 'Sure he can play, but does he have anything to say? ' Does this Violet have anything to say?' This was getting deeper than I expected. I felt like I was back in my college dorm, the weed kicking in. 'What does any mascot have to say, Crazy Crab? What does Lou Seal have to say?' 'Lou Seal? First of all, his real name is Lewis Schnukelman. Decent fellow. But would the Giants trade him for a guy who can make contact with two strikes and a runner on third? Truth is, the only great mascot was the San Diego Chicken. Nobody could pee on an umpire's leg like that dude. The rest of us labor in his shadow — Lou, Sourdough Sam, the Stanford tree, Stomper — may he rest in peace.' 'Maybe Violet will bloom, so to speak,' I said. 'What advice would you give her if you happened to run into her?' Crazy Crab blew out a cloud of smoke and snorted. 'Run into her where? At Safeway? I live under a rock. But if she asked me, I'd tell her, just be yourself. Be true to your craft. And ask that Janelle Salaün to show you how to shoot a freaking layup.' I nodded, and got up to leave. Crazy Crab grabbed a cocktail napkin and reached into a pocket. 'Hey kid, I've still got your pen. Want that autograph?'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store