The Los Angeles Sparks have one game remaining on their regular season schedule, at home against the Golden State Valkyries on Thursday in what will serve as Nneka Ogwumike’s retirement sendoff, and a celebration of the franchise’s 2016 WNBA championship. And the Sparks should have injury reinforcements on the way in the form of veteran forward Dearica Hamby.

Dearica Hamby has officially been listed as probable on the Sparks’ injury report for their game against the Valkyries, a welcome sign for the team as they try to end the year on high note. Hamby had been an iron woman for the Sparks since they acquired her in 2023, playing in every single game for three straight seasons.

She had played 41 straight games this season, before missing her first in Sparks uniform during the team’s win against the Portland Fire this past Sunday. Her upgraded injury status points towards her return to the court. The team will still be without Cameron Brink and Aaliyah Nye as both have been ruled out. The duo has been sidelined last two games, and team brass will have wait until next season to potentially see them on the court.

Hamby’s game has flourished since joining the Sparks, and she was selected to her third career All-Star appearance during her second season with the team, finishing second in the league’s Most Improved Player race. Last season, she averaged career-highs in scoring at 18.4 points and shooting efficiency at 57.2 percent.

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This season, her numbers have dropped slightly, but she’s still been an integral part of the team. The three-time All-Star is averaging 14.4 points, 7.0 rebounds. 2.4 assists and 1.5 steals with splits of 55.2 percent shooting from the field, 23.7 percent shooting from the 3-point line and 68.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.

The former Wake Forest star re-signed with the organization this past offseason on a three-year contract for slightly less than the WNBA’s new max salary. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 WNBA Draft, Hamby will be entering his 13th season in the league next year. She began her career with the then San Antonio Stars, and accompanied the franchise during the move to Las Vegas and rebrand as the Aces.

She won back-to-back Sixth Player of the Year Awards in 2019 and 2020, and played a key role in the Aces’ 2022 championship run.