Rickea Jackson's Viral NFL Draft 'Doppelgänger' Cameo Raises Eyebrows
After what has felt like an eternity for many since the 2024 WNBA Finals, the women's basketball community only has to wait a few more days before WNBA training camps begin, thus marking the start to another season.
Given that the NFL Draft typically takes place a few days before WNBA training camp, the iconic event always feels like a great way to gauge when women's basketball fans can expect to see their own sport's biggest stars return to the basketball court.
However, one WNBA superstar's appearance at the NFL Draft is going insanely viral on social media.
Los Angeles Sparks standout Rickea Jackson's boyfriend is James Pearce Jr., an outside linebacker who also attended the University of Tennessee and who the Atlanta Falcons selected with the No. 25 overall pick of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Once Pearce Jr. was selected, the camera showed Jackson sitting alongside him as the draft party was selected.
WNBA player Rickea Jackson with her boyfriend James Pearce Jr. as he gets drafted by the Atlanta Falcons!😍🔥#wnba #nfldraft pic.twitter.com/t874fIOHa3
— The Bucket Yard (@bucketyard) April 25, 2025
While Jackson's relationship with Pearce Jr. wasn't necessarily a secret, it seems that many fans didn't know they were together. This prompted videos and posts about Jackson's NFL Draft cameo to go insanely viral.
One X user wrote, "NOT RICKEA WITH HER MAN AT THE NFL DRAFT 🥹❤️".
NOT RICKEA WITH HER MAN AT THE NFL DRAFT 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/GXtzh5gybm
— LANI ❦ (@___lovelani) April 25, 2025
Another fan wrote, "Fell to my knees when I saw Rickea Jackson sitting next to James Pearce Jr on draft night 💔💔💔".
Fell to my knees when I saw Rickea Jackson sitting next to James Pearce Jr on draft night 💔💔💔 pic.twitter.com/AS4rhYLAxo
— _____ (@thoughtsfreeing) April 25, 2025
"I know that wasn’t Rickea Jackson???" a third added with a GIF of rapper Lil Durk falling to the floor.
I know that wasn’t Rickea Jackson??? pic.twitter.com/oOVSJU6OCv
— . (@CalledMe_Buskey) April 25, 2025
Jackson made light of this NFL Draft appearance with her own viral post that wrote, "Soooo I have a doppelganger. Wow".
Soooo I have a doppelganger. Wow
— RJ👑 (@iamthathooper) April 25, 2025
With the NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, Jackson is surely headed back to Los Angeles in anticipation for her second WNBA season starting.
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Grant Young covers Women’s Basketball, the New York Yankees, and the New York Mets for Sports Illustrated’s ‘On SI’ sites. He holds an MFA degree in creative writing from the University of San Francisco (USF), where he also graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and played on USF’s Division I baseball team for five years. However, he now prefers Angel Reese to Angels in the Outfield.
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