On a windy Sunday morning outside the Los Angeles Sparks’ practice facility in El Segundo, Olympic bronze medalist and WNBA forward Dearica Hamby balanced her dual roles as an elite athlete and devoted mother.
Photographer Bradley Meinz and I were meeting with Hamby and her two children, 22-month-old Legend and 7-year-old Amaya, for this month’s cover shoot. In between Meinz’s cues and camera clicks, Amaya dribbled a basketball across the gym’s court, turned everything in sight into an apparatus for her long limbs to climb on and played with her baby brother, who was perched on their mother’s left hip.
“Alright, let’s try it again!” Meinz called out. Amaya, holding a black-and-gold Jordan “Legacy” ball up like a trophy, snapped into place beside her mother and brother, who grinned as his grandmother played his favorite tune — “If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands” — from a cell phone.
With gentle nudges, humor and a quicksilver instinct that makes her formidable on the court as a forward, Hamby, guided her children through the photo shoot. The two-time WNBA All-Star and WNBA champion joined the Sparks roster in January 2023 after successful stints with the Las Vegas Aces and San Antonio Stars. Her recent accolades include a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics (where she led the U.S. team in rebounds and ranked second in scoring) and a Kim Perrot Sportsmanship Award in 2024.
In this interview, she talks about her journey from late-blooming basketball player to champion and mother, proving that with determination and support, it’s possible to excel both in sports and parenthood.
Congratulations on your Olympic medal! Tell us about that experience.
The Olympics was a cool experience! Honestly, it’s one of those things that I’ve appreciated more in hindsight, because in the moment it was super exhausting — from playing the games, practices, to all the media demands, but it’s still an experience I’ll never forget.
My mom and kids had the best time. My mom worked the ‘96 Olympics in Atlanta, so to see how proud she and Amaya were probably meant the most to me. Amaya was on the plane the entire flight telling everyone her mom was in the Olympics. After we won bronze, she stayed up super late, waiting on me to walk in holding my hand. She got to go back to school and share the stories with her classmates. Legend won’t remember, but the pictures of him and Amaya all over Paris will be timeless.
What is your basketball origin story?
I was a late bloomer. I didn’t have basketball idols because I came to the game so late. Funny enough, Andruw Jones from the Atlanta Braves was kind of my sports idol. The motivating factor for me to play [basketball] was that I had grown 5 inches from my freshman year of high school to my sophomore year. I initially thought the game was just going take me to college and allow me to further my education. I chose Wake Forest University, and by the end of my junior year I think that’s when people would start to call me a pro and told me I had a chance to play in the WNBA. I still to this day can’t believe I’m where I am because I was never a “top player” growing up.
What unique challenges do you face as one of the few mothers active in the WNBA?
Mainly, the inconsistency in our schedule. My kids are super great and flexible and have really helped me and us with adjusting to the lifestyle. They’re very involved in my work life. It’s challenging at times, but also very rewarding. I don’t work a traditional 9-5, which allows me the flexibility to be with my kids more. But also, there [are] times when I’m gone for three to four days at a time. And when Amaya was young, sometimes up to three weeks before she could come join me.
Can you describe a typical day — both on and offseason?
Off season is a bit more predictable. We wake up, and I get Amaya ready [for school], we have breakfast, Legend and I drop off Amaya at school. Sometimes, I’ll take Legend to a class because he’s not in daycare, and between that and 3 p.m. (which is when I pick Amaya up), I work out. If I can’t get a workout in, then I usually do it at night and bring the kids with me. I really commit to my offseason being about resting and giving them my undivided attention for at least a month and half. They take priority in the offseason until about a month before the season.
During the season, my mom is usually with me and helping out with the kids — and my sister does as well. They’ve both traveled on the road with me. It’s a blessing to be able to have family watch your kids. Nothing against daycare or babysitters, but I think it’s made a difference in my ability to do my job without as much mom guilt.
Amaya also spends a month or so with her dad during the summer, and that’s when I’ll take Legend on the road with me. Now that the WNBA has chartered flights instead of commercial travel, it’s been really nice to have that flexibility.
Has Amaya shown interest in playing basketball? She seems so athletic already!
She loves it. She loves the WNBA. And it’s so cool now because she knows the players, she really likes watching it and she has her favorites. Sabrina Ionescu (New York Liberty) is one of them. And she builds bonds with my teammates, which helps because they distract her sometimes. She’s into tennis, though. That’s her thing. She trains two to four times a week and really has picked it up. She hasn’t asked to play basketball. I think she kind of likes the fun side of Mommy being a basketball player and doesn’t want to change that.
How has motherhood influenced your approach to basketball?
I try to stay as authentic as I can while doing whatever I do at 100%. I had a coach once tell me that if I wanted to be a mom, I should just go and do that. I think that was the turning point that pushed me to prove that it was possible to be great at both. I do what I’m supposed to do for my few hours of work, and then I go home, and I am all about my kids. When I had my second kid, I felt like the narrative that I only cared about being a mom pushed me to playing the best basketball of my career — all while still being a great mother!
How has your experience with pregnancy and motherhood in the WNBA shaped your advocacy for other women athletes?
At first, I don’t think I realized what I was doing when I had my first kid at 22. [Former WNBA player] Candace Parker made it “OK,” but it was still a bit unorthodox within our sport. I never imagined the WNBA in my long-term plans. I also think a lot of people in the past have been written off due to pregnancy or not given opportunities. I’ve been fortunate that I’ve been in situations where I might’ve had a little more grace and care that encouraged me to stay the course.
What changes would you like to see in the WNBA to better support players who are mothers or planning to become mothers?
I think our last CBA [Collective Bargaining Agreement] met the mark at the time with what had been previously set in place. I think the intention has always been good, but just not fully understood. To me, the benefits in our CBA cater more to the partners of WNBA players. I think the problem is also the language around “planning.” I can’t “plan while I play” because it’s frowned upon… But you can’t “plan” after you’re done playing because we don’t have health insurance post playing. So truthfully… when is it ever the “right time?” And there needs to be a bit of protection while you’re actually pregnant.
What advice would you give to young women athletes who aspire to have both a professional sports career and a family?
My advice would be to follow your heart and don’t make decisions on the what ifs, because that looks different for different people. If I let fear dictate my decision, then my life would look a lot different now, and I wouldn’t want that. I didn’t plan either of my kids, but no matter what happens in my career, they come first. I make my decisions based on them because when it’s all said and done, they will always be there. Basketball won’t. And that’s the thing that always has to stay in perspective.
In what ways has your experience as a mother influenced your leadership style on the team?
My softness… I need to be better, but everyone looks at me like the team mom. Everyone comes to me with puppy eyes. I try to just be nurturing and reassuring and lead with love [and] doing the right thing because, just like my kids, I know [my teammates] are watching me.
How would you describe each of your children?
Amaya is super protective of me and her brother, and she’s so confident. She doesn’t back down from anything or anybody. She’s also so intelligent and emotionally mature that I forget she’s 7 sometimes! She just loves life. One day she woke up — I kid you not, at 6:15 a.m. — and popped up and said “I love my life! And it’s only been 7 years!” She has a crazy imagination, she plays really well, she’s super independent, but also the life of the party. She’s funny and a little sassy (I blame my teammates for that), but all in all, she has a heart of gold and she truly understands people, which, at her age, is really special.
Legend is also super special in his ability to love and connect to people. He runs up to anyone and hugs them like he’s known them for years. He’s an observer. He doesn’t say much and doesn’t fuss much. He’s really taught me to be in the moment.
What are your favorite things to do in Los Angeles?
Sparks games! The beach. My kids love the beach. They love outdoors. Amaya loves the Santa Monica Pier, and The Grove is always fun to shop. I also enjoy pop-up venues, and there are always good shows at the Crypto.com arena. We are a movies family. We see a lot of movies.
