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Dearica Hamby has built her reputation in the WNBA as a player who can handle pressure from all angles—whether it’s stepping up for her team, balancing motherhood, or advocating for better support for women across the league.
Now in her third season with the Los Angeles Sparks, the forward continues to find ways to redefine what it means to be both a professional athlete and a parent.
Hamby is one of the rare players who experienced pregnancy twice during her playing career, a reality that few professional athletes have navigated. That perspective, she says, has transformed the way she approaches the game. “I don’t take things for granted and I live a life with gratitude and perspective,” Hamby explained. “I don’t get to sulk about a ‘bad game’ because as soon as I walk off the court, my kids are meeting me with smiles and wanting to just spend time with me. Having kids helps me keep that perspective.”
Motherhood has also reframed the concept of balance. Between training, travel, and raising children, simplicity has become key. “There are more days than not of chaos and loose structure to my day,” Hamby admitted. “It’s important to find solutions that I can be consistent with to make sure I’m properly fueling with high-quality ingredients where I can.”
Her advocacy doesn’t stop at her own household. Hamby has been vocal about the need for the WNBA to expand support for players with families. “I think the WNBA has been at the forefront of supporting women and fighting injustices in the world in general,” she said. “I think we have set the bar in ways, and I think we can continue to improve in that area in the next CBA. There needs to be more support for moms in the workplace due to the nature of our profession. We’re going to have our kids around more than our counterparts, so finding a balance to help support that is important.”
One suggestion Hamby has raised is ensuring that pregnancy doesn’t count against the salary cap, a behind-the-scenes issue that can directly affect roster decisions. “I’m confident that they will find solutions that benefit everyone,” she added.
Her perspective comes at a turning point for the league. With record-setting viewership and investment, the WNBA is seeing growth on and off the court.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Sparks recently announced plans for a $150 million practice facility in El Segundo, California—the largest single-team investment in women’s sports to date. The 55,000-square-foot space will include training and recovery areas, an outdoor spa pool, family zones, and nap rooms, which Hamby joked about on X. “We made sure to have nap rooms!!! Cause I will be knocked!!!!!” she wrote.
Set to open in 2027, the facility represents a new standard of resources for women’s basketball. Sparks managing partner Eric Holoman described it as “a place where Sparks players can be at their best on and off the court.”
For Hamby, who just averaged a career-high 18.4 points per game in 2025, it’s another sign of the league’s progress—proof that women’s basketball is moving toward long-term sustainability. And while she continues to balance family, performance, and advocacy, Hamby recently added one more layer: a partnership with MegaFood, a wellness brand she says supports her ability to keep up with both her career and her kids.
