After the balloon incident went viral on social media, Nneka Ogwumike has finally announced her return to the Los Angeles Sparks. Ending all online speculations, the WNBPA President shared a montage on social media, highlighting that she would be back “on her terms.” However, that might put Rickea Jackson in a difficult spot during free agency.
Ogwumike shared a montage of her time with the Sparks on Instagram that has caught the attention of several fellow players and WNBA insiders. She wrote in the caption:
“It was always see you later, now I’ll see you soon…”
The 10-time WNBA All-Star has been a force to be reckoned with during her time with the Sparks. She brought the franchise’s third championship in 2016, but signed with the Seattle Storm in 2024, when she was a free agent. However, her return to the Sparks might cause the other frontcourt piece, Rickea Jackson’s dip in production.
Both forwards perform best when they handle the ball for the offense, especially in the paint and mid-post. Ogwumike is a veteran and could be preferred by the franchise, which means Jackson might have to play off the bench and take a secondary role, which is not how she would want things to go. It can pave the way for the youngster’s trade soon!
WNBA insider shares Rickea Jackson’s trade update after Nneka Ogwumike’s announcement
While Nneka Ogwumike announced her highly anticipated return to the Sparks, WNBA journalist Annie Costabile shared that the team was in conversation with the Chicago Sky to trade Rickea Jackson in exchange for Ariel Atkins. She wrote on X:
“The Chicago Sky and LA Sparks are in discussions re: a trade that would send Ariel Atkins to the Sparks for Rickea Jackson, multiple sources told me.”
Atkins is one of the most efficient two-way guards in the league and impacts both ends of the floor. Given that the team has already awarded the core offer to Kelsey Plum, Atkins could provide them with some crucial minutes off the bench. The 5-foot-10 guard averaged 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in 2025.
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