LOS ANGELES -- It had been rumbling for days now but this was still a surprise when first mentioned.
The Sparks rising star forward Rickea Jackson has been dealt to the Sky for guard Ariel Atkins, who was given the core designation by Chicago.
This is a straight-up player swap; no other assets involved https://t.co/o2r1vum9Xk
— Alexa Philippou (@alexaphilippou) April 12, 2026
Jackson seemed poised to be a franchise cornerstone for the Sparks. But Los Angeles decided to go on another direction and dealt for Atkins, a two-way player who was cast as the first scoring option in Chicago. Jackson goes to Chicago and joins Azurá Stevens, who signed in the Windy City on Saturday. She averaged 14.0 points and 3.6 rebounds in her two years in L.A.
Atkins has been in the league since 2018, when she was drafted by the Washington Mystics. She was part of the 2019 team that won the WNBA championship that season. Atkins would then get traded before the 2025 season to Chicago for a 2025 first round pick (that Washington used to select Sonia Citron) as well as a 2027 second round pick and the right to swap 2027 first round picks.
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Aug 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Sky guard Ariel Atkins (7) drives to the basket against Connecticut Sun guard Saniya Rivers (22) during the second half at Wintrust Arena.
Atkins gives the team much-needed defense as well as championship experience. She's also a proven scorer; she averaged 16.6 points to go along with 4.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists last season for the Sky.
The Sparks turned from a young team into a veteran team almost overnight. The trade for Atkins signals further that the Sparks will go for it all.