DETROIT – Detroit Edison Public School Academy (DEPSA) has retired the jersey of Rickea Jackson, a standout player for the Los Angeles Sparks and the school’s most accomplished basketball alumnus.
The ceremony took place at halftime of the women’s varsity basketball game against Grosse Pointe South on Tuesday, Dec. 23, at the DEPSA gymnasium, located at 3403 St. Aubin St.
The event, themed “Celebrating Excellence, Legacy, and Inspiration,” permanently honored Jackson, who led DEPSA to three consecutive Michigan High School Athletic Association Class C state championships and was named Michigan’s Miss Basketball in 2019.
Jackson’s No. 5 jersey became the first retired by the school’s girls basketball program, commemorating a player once called “the greatest girls basketball player in Michigan ever.”
Jackson’s journey from DEPSA to professional stardom is historic.
After a stellar college career at Mississippi State and Tennessee, where she was a two-time First-Team All-SEC selection, she was selected fourth overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2024 WNBA Draft.
Jackson became the first Michigan charter school alumnus to play in the WNBA.
Her immediate impact in the league underscores the significance of this honor.
As a 2024 WNBA All-Rookie Team member, she averaged 13.4 points per game.
Jackson also made history by becoming the first player from her celebrated 2024 draft class to score 1,000 career points and the first WNBA player to sign an endorsement deal with Skechers.
Monique Brown, Jackson’s former coach at DEPSA, who also spoke at Jackson’s draft watch party in 2024, expressed her pride.
“Coaching Rickea was witnessing greatness in the making. Her unmatched work ethic was evident every single day,” Brown said. “To see her grow from a state champion here at Edison into a role model on the national stage is my greatest point of pride as a coach. This retirement isn’t just about basketball; it’s about inspiring the next generation of young women at our school to dream just as big.”