WNBA: Los Angeles Sparks’ Dearica Hamby wins Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Sparks’ Dearica Hamby, winner of the 2024 Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award.

Named after the late Kim Perrot, who helped the Houston Comets win their first two WNBA championships (1997-98) before losing her battle with cancer in Aug. 1999, the award honors a player who exemplifies the ideals of on-court sportsmanship, including ethical behavior, fair play, and integrity.

Photo by Michael Gonzales/NBAE via Getty Images

On receiving the honor, Hamby said:

I am incredibly grateful to be recognized with the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award. This is especially meaningful at this point in my career because it represents values that go beyond winning and to be recognized for that means a lot to me. Being on this list alongside some of the most highly respected players in our league is truly humbling.

Hamby earned 12 of 67 votes from a national media panel. The Las Vegas Aces’ Alysha Clark finished second with nine votes, while the Connecticut Sun’s Brionna Jones was third with eight votes. The Washington Mystics’ Ariel Atkins and the Minnesota Lynx’s Napheesa Collier both received six votes.

Hamby just completed her 10th WNBA season, averaging career highs in points (17.3), rebounds (9.2), and assists (3.5) per game. The 2019 and 2020 Sixth Player of the Year also was an All-Star for the third time in her career. She is the third Spark to win the Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award, joining inaugural winner Haixia Zheng (1997) and three-time winner Nneka Ogwumike (2019-21).