Dearica Hamby is heading to Paris as Team USA’s 3×3 basketball member. She is a WNBA Champion, a three-time All-Star, and a two-time recipient of the Sixth Woman of the Year award. 

 

Not only is she a dedicated athlete, but she is also a mother of two and a mentor to Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson. Hamby’s journey showcases her strength and determination on and off the court.

Hamby Believes Becoming a Mother for the Second Time Is Easier

 

In March of 2023, WNBA Champion and three-time WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby announced the birth of her second child, Legend Maree Scandrick, on her Instagram account.

 

In an interview with USA Today last month, Hamby said becoming a mother for the second time was much easier than when she had her daughter, Amaya, in 2017.

 

“It was easier the second time around,” said Hamby, who labored for 90 minutes with each child.  

 

“I’ve been fortunate … I didn’t have complications during labor and delivery. I’ve got to thank my mom and grandma because at least a little bit of it is genetic.”

Despite motherhood’s demands, Hamby remains successful in her professional career. Her work ethic and resilience are a testament to her ability to juggle these responsibilities.

 

Hamby’s Renewed Mentality for the Season

 

Dearica Hamby, a 10-year veteran who won back-to-back WNBA Sixth Player of the Year Awards, has emerged with a newfound mentality for the Los Angeles Sparks this season.

 

“I’ve learned a lot and been through a lot on and off the floor, so I just have a different mind-set coming in,” said Hamby. 

 

“My confidence is really high coming off of the kinds of things I’ve done in the offseason to better myself. My teammates and coaching staff believe in me.”

Hamby’s hard work and dedication to her craft have not gone unnoticed. Sparks’ head coach Curt Miller recently praised the three-time All-Star after her return to the team following her pregnancy.

 

“[Hamby] has been excellent out of the gate,” Miller said. “A full season out of her pregnancy, she’s playing really determined, confident basketball, and she’s just playing really great. Can’t say enough good things about her. She came in with a chip that she was going to take it to another level and it’s been great to see her back.”

 

Hamby Providing Mentorship to Cam Brink and Rickea Jackson

Hamby’s impact goes beyond her own performance. Her mentorship of Cam Brink and Rickea Jackson has been critical to their development and transition from college to the WNBA.

“Her relentlessness has contributed to her stellar season,” Jackson said.

 

 “Coming from the Aces, I feel like she comes in with a chip on her shoulder to prove everyone wrong and show the type of player she really is. She wants to make her teammates proud. She’s been working so hard and you can see that. She’s a person I look up to so much and she’s always there for me. I’m proud of the season she’s had and she truly deserves it.”

 

During an interview with The Sporting Tribune, Brink admired and appreciated Hamby’s support. “I love Dearica; she’s like my second mom already,” Brink said, adding that Hamby told her, “Never let anyone see you cry.”

 

Hamby recently told the Los Angeles Times, “I do my best, as a mom, to check in on them and see how they are doing and see if I can help in any way. 

 

They are being very transparent on their end, so I appreciate it. I also try to be tough out there to show the way. I’m not perfect, but I try to compete as hard as possible. Do the little things, have a tough mentality, and hopefully, they follow.”

 

Dearica Hamby Achieves Her Goals Despite Challenges

 

Dearica Hamby made a list of her basketball goals before the 2024 season started. One of the goals on the list was to make Team USA’s 3×3 Olympic team. Due to an ACL injury to her teammate Cameron Brink, she was the first alternate.

 

“My heart breaks for her. When she got the news she made it and I got the news I didn’t originally, we cried together,” Hamby told The Associated Press. “It’s kind of an ironic situation. I’m sure if she wanted to have anybody replace her, she’d want it to be me.”

 

Hamby, along with Hailey Van Lith, Cierra Burdick, and Rhyne Howard, will compete in the Olympics in Paris later this month. Team USA will be looking to repeat as gold medalists after winning the inaugural 3×3 competition during the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

 

“It is an honor to announce Dearica Hamby’s addition to the USA 3×3 Women’s National Team and we look forward to getting to work as a squad very soon,” said Jay Demings, USA Basketball 3×3 national team director and member of the USA Basketball 3×3 women’s selection committee. “USA Basketball continues to keep Cameron Brink in our thoughts as she focuses on her recovery.”

 

Dearica Hamby’s story inspires many as she balances her roles as a mother, mentor, and elite athlete. While establishing her legacy in the sport, she leads the way for the next generation of players with determination and resilience.