Dearica Hamby agrees to a contract extension through 2025 with Sparks

Dearica Hamby will not test free agency next year as she has agreed to a contract extension, keeping her in Los Angeles through 2025.

Dearica Hamby is having a career year through the opening 12 games of the WNBA season and the Sparks have ensured the forward isn’t going anywhere. On Thursday, the team announced they had agreed to an extension with Hamby through 2025.

Hamby joined the Sparks via trade from the Aces in 2023.

Hamby’s contract, which she signed with Las Vegas in 2022, was set to expire at the end of 2024. That relationship became tenuous when she was traded to the Sparks in 2023 and filed a discrimination lawsuit against the Aces.

The WNBA investigated and ultimately suspended the Aces Becky Hammon for two games and rescinded Las Vegas’ 2025 first round selection.

The numbers on Hamby’s extension aren’t official, but Richard Cohen of Her Hoop Stat has reported it at $202,000. This would make her the highest-paid player on the team heading into 2025 and in the top 20 in the WNBA as a whole next season.

This year, Hamby was paid $169,000, which was second highest on the team behind Azurá Stevens’ $195,000.

Hamby now joins Cameron Brink, Rickea Jackson, Lexie Brown, Rae Burrell, Layshia Clarendon, Zia Cooke and Julie Allemand as the only Sparks players under contract for 2025.

The Sparks’ star in Los Angeles had a productive 2023, but this year, she has emerged as far and away the best player for the team. She’s averaging 20 points, 11.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game — all team-high numbers.

Hamby isn’t just the best player on the Sparks, she’s one of the best players in the WNBA. She is sixth in scoring, sixth in overall shooting percentage and third in 3-point percentage.

She discussed her excitement upon signing this extension via a Sparks press release.

“I’m grateful for finding a home in LA with an ownership group and organization that believes in me and has been nothing but supportive since the day I got here,” said Hamby. “I look forward to continuing to build with my teammates and getting the Sparks back to the standard that has been historically set.”

Hamby extending means this rebuild can continue with the best parts of this team intact next season. The rookies Brink and Jackson are secure and now so is the best player wearing purple and gold.

This has been a great individual week for Hamby as she was named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week on Tuesday and is a shoo-in to lead the Sparks in All-Star voting, which opened up on Thursday.

You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.