Rae Burrell shows off abs in head-turning outfit before Sparks-Mercury game originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Rae Burrell commanded plenty of attention before the Los Angeles Sparks even took the court against the Phoenix Mercury on Wednesday afternoon.
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The Sparks guard arrived for the Western Conference matchup in a bold all-black outfit featuring a cropped top that showed off her abs. Burrell paired the top with oversized black pants, a matching jacket, sunglasses and jewelry as she confidently walked through the arena tunnel. Los Angeles shared a video of Burrell’s arrival on social media, making its opinion of the look perfectly clear.
“All eyes on Rae,” the team wrote.
The Sparks’ post featuring Burrell put the 26-year-old in the spotlight before the focus shifted to an important game between two teams attempting to climb the Western Conference standings.
Burrell’s outfit turned heads, but her rapidly improving play has also given WNBA fans a reason to pay close attention this season.
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Rae Burrell is enjoying a breakout season with Los Angeles
Burrell entered Wednesday averaging 12.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists through 25 appearances. She was shooting an efficient 45.4 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from beyond the arc.
Those numbers represent a substantial step forward for the former Tennessee standout. Burrell averaged only 7.0 points over her first three WNBA seasons after the Sparks selected her with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2022 draft.
She has since developed into a much more consistent offensive weapon for Los Angeles.
Burrell scored a season-high 24 points on 8-of-14 shooting against the Minnesota Lynx on July 15. She also collected four rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block in the 96-87 loss. That performance was part of an impressive stretch in which Burrell scored in double figures in 10 of 11 appearances. She surpassed 20 points three times during that span, including a 22-point effort in a victory over the Indiana Fever.
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Phoenix already knew how dangerous Burrell could be. She recorded 24 points, three rebounds and three blocks in Los Angeles’ 111-102 overtime victory over the Mercury on June 13.
MORE: Sophie Cunningham hilariously calls out Fever over questionable photo choice
Sparks searching for a turnaround against Mercury
Wednesday’s game presented the Sparks with an opportunity to stop a four-game losing streak. Los Angeles entered the afternoon with a 10-15 record after consecutive losses to the Atlanta Dream, Lynx, Chicago Sky and Dallas Wings. Phoenix arrived at 9-18 and one spot behind the Sparks in the Western Conference standings.
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Burrell had scored nine points in each of the previous two games, but her larger body of work remained one of the most encouraging developments of the Sparks’ season. Her head-turning outfit ensured that all eyes were on her before Wednesday’s opening tip. Her breakout campaign has made it increasingly difficult to look away once the game begins.
