Dearica Hamby Announces New Sparks Contract, Cameron Brink Reacts to IG Video

Dearica Hamby is returning to the Los Angeles Sparks in free agency.

The three-time All-Star announced her return to the Sparks in a video on Instagram, with Alexa Philippou of ESPN reporting the deal is worth close to $3.5 million over three years.

Hamby's announcement received a response from Cameron Brink.

"Never ever leave me 😭," Brink wrote in the comments.

Hamby's announcement comes one day after Nneka Ogwumike announced she was signing with the Sparks, returning to the organization she spent the first 12 years of her career with before joining the Seattle Storm in 2024.

The Sparks did lose Azurá Stevens, who reportedly agreed to a three-year deal with the Chicago Sky on Saturday, so keeping Hamby and bringing in Ogwumike will help solidify their frontcourt.

Los Angeles' rotation is starting to look a lot more interesting on paper. Hamby, Ogwumike, Brink and Kelsey Plum gives head coach Lynne Roberts plenty of talent to work with as the team tries to end its five-year playoff drought.

That's the longest active playoff drought in the league, with no other team at more than two years. The Sparks did take a big leap forward last season with 21 wins, their most since going 22-12 in 2019.

Plum received the core qualifying offer to prevent her from becoming an unrestricted free agent. The Sparks could explore a trade for her, but the core designation gives them the flexibility to retain her for at least one year if they can't sign her to a long-term deal.

Hamby joined the Sparks in January 2023 after being acquired in a trade with the Las Vegas Aces. She made the All-Star team in her second year with the club and has finished in the top 15 of MVP voting in each of the past two years.

She has averaged 15.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game in 124 games with the Sparks.