Dearica Hamby on Her Basketball Journey, Motherhood in the W, and Building Culture with the Sparks

Summary

Bird's Eye View with Sue Bird: Episode Summary

Episode Title: Dearica Hamby on Her Basketball Journey, Motherhood in the W, and Building Culture with the Sparks
Release Date: August 1, 2025

In this compelling episode of Bird's Eye View, WNBA star Dearica Hamby joins host Sue Bird for an in-depth conversation about her remarkable journey in professional basketball, her experiences as a mother in the league, and her efforts to cultivate a positive team culture with the Los Angeles Sparks.

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1. Introduction to Dearica Hamby

Sue Bird kicks off the episode by highlighting Dearica Hamby's impressive credentials:

• Two-time WNBA Woman of the Year
• WNBA Champion
• All-Star
• Leading scorer and rebounder for the Sparks

Bird emphasizes Hamby's dual role as a standout athlete and a dedicated mother, setting the stage for a discussion that delves into both her on-court prowess and off-court responsibilities.

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**2. Early Basketball Journey and Late Start

Dearica Hamby shares her unconventional path to professional basketball, starting her basketball journey in high school after previously playing baseball and softball.

Dearica Hamby [11:28]: "I played softball my freshman and sophomore year, and I tried out for the baseball team... I just grew and I played JV my sophomore year, and then I went into AAU that summer and then I came back and I was a starter."

She discusses the challenges and advantages of beginning her basketball career later than many of her peers, attributing her resilience and adaptability to this late start.

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**3. College Recruitment and Wake Forest Decision

Hamby explains her decision to attend Wake Forest University, prioritizing a quality education over immediate athletic prospects.

Dearica Hamby [15:16]: "I didn't think I was going to play basketball post college, so I wanted to be at a good school that was going to give me a great education."

Her choice was influenced by her long-term relationship with her partner and her desire for academic excellence, which ultimately paved the way for her outstanding collegiate career.

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**4. WNBA Journey: From San Antonio to Las Vegas

Rookie Season and Early Challenges

Hamby recounts her rookie year with the San Antonio Stars (later moved to Las Vegas), highlighting her initial struggles and eventual breakout after an ankle injury.

Dearica Hamby [26:45]: "I think I adjusted pretty well... But I would say more about, like, reading defense. Defense and stuff."

She reflects on the physical and mental adjustments required to compete at the professional level, especially after injuries disrupted her promising rookie season.

Move to Las Vegas and Coaching Changes

The transition to the Las Vegas Aces brought new challenges, including working under coach Bill Laimbeer.

Dearica Hamby [40:05]: "Like, are you fucking serious? But also, like, all right, here's another thing I gotta be resilient about and overcome."

Hamby describes Laimbeer's straightforward and demanding coaching style, which initially felt harsh but ultimately fostered her growth and resilience.

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**5. Motherhood and Professional Athletics

One of the most poignant parts of the conversation centers on Dearica Hamby's experiences as a mother while maintaining a high-level athletic career.

Dearica Hamby [34:18]: "Neither one of my pregnancies were planned, but at the time, me and my mom have a really great relationship, and she was always a young mom, so I kind of always dreamed of being a young mom."

She discusses the challenges of returning to the court postpartum, the support system that facilitated her comeback, and the mental fortitude required to balance motherhood with professional sports.

Dearica Hamby [37:13]: "I believe that balance allows me to be who I am on the court... my kids, when I'm done playing, they're gonna still be there."

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**6. Current Season Performance and Player of the Month

Hamby's current season has been historic, averaging 22 points, 9.5 rebounds, and shooting 66.6% from the field, earning her the WNBA Player of the Month accolade.

Dearica Hamby [76:34]: "I think time, chemistry and like my confidence... have really clicked for me."

She attributes her improved performance to increased confidence, better team chemistry, and a more efficient offensive system. Hamby also emphasizes the importance of versatile teammates like Kelsey Plum and the impact of reuniting with her longtime friend and teammate in Los Angeles.

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**7. Building Culture with the Sparks

Hamby elaborates on her role in fostering a positive team environment, balancing competitiveness with personal connections among teammates.

Dearica Hamby [82:19]: "Like, we get on... before every game, we tell each other we love each other and we hold hands a little bit."

She highlights the camaraderie and mutual support within the team, which have been crucial in navigating the pressures of a demanding season and overcoming adversities together.

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**8. Legal Battle and Advocacy

The episode also touches on Hamby's legal actions against the WNBA and the Aces regarding her treatment following the announcement of her pregnancy.

Dearica Hamby [62:42]: "I feel like it's bigger than me... something that really fucking pisses you off."

Hamby discusses her motivation to seek justice and pave the way for future players to balance motherhood and professional careers without facing similar challenges.

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**9. Legacy and Future Goals

Looking ahead, Hamby sets ambitious goals for herself and the Sparks, focusing on continuous improvement, team success, and her legacy as both an athlete and a pioneering mother in the league.

Dearica Hamby [89:03]: "I think this season is a success... in the next two to three years we're competing for a championship."

She envisions a future where the Sparks remain competitive and continue to build a strong, supportive team culture that empowers all players.

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Notable Quotes

• Dearica Hamby [34:18]: "Life is bigger than basketball. My kids, when I'm done playing, they're gonna still be there."
• Dearica Hamby [62:42]: "I want it to be better for the next... the ladies that are coming after that want to start their families and stuff."
• Dearica Hamby [76:34]: "Confidence, chemistry, and being comfortable in the system have really clicked for me."

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Conclusion

This episode offers a deep dive into Dearica Hamby's multifaceted life as a WNBA star and a mother. Through candid discussions about her late start in basketball, overcoming injuries, balancing motherhood with a demanding career, and advocating for better treatment of athlete mothers, Hamby provides a rich narrative of resilience and empowerment. Listeners gain valuable insights into the challenges and triumphs faced by women in professional sports, all while spotlighting the importance of support systems and personal determination.

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Tune in to Bird's Eye View every Friday on [Podcast Platform] and YouTube for more inspiring stories from the courtside.

Transcript

[Sue Bird]

Support for this show comes from Google Pixel. When the extraordinary is possible, never settle for less for your next phone upgrade. Meet the Google Pixel 9 Pro. It's got a stunning new design, the advanced AI power of Gemini, and their best camera yet. It's built to capture everyone in your group in beautiful resolution, including the person taking the photo. Now that's extraordinary. You can learn more about the new Google Pixel 9 with Gemini Live on the Google Store. Sequences shortened. Gemini Live available for ages 18 +. Compatible with certain features and with certain accounts. Results for illustrative purposes and may vary. Check responses for accuracy. Support for Bird's Eye View comes from Nike what was your biggest win? Was it in front of a sold out stadium or the first time you beat your teammate in practice? Nike knows winning isn't always done in front of cheering crowds. Sometimes winning happens in your driveway, on a quiet street at the end of your longest run, or in the blacktop for a pickup game. Nike is here for all the wins, big or small. They provide the gear you bring, the mindset. Visit nike.com for more information and be sure to follow Nike on Instagram, TikTok and other social platforms for more great basketball moments. You're basking on a beach in the Bahamas.

[Kelsey Plum]

Now you're journeying through the jade forests of Japan.

[Sue Bird]

Now you're there for your alma mater's epic win. And now you. You're awake.

[Dearica Hamby]

Womp womp.

[Kelsey Plum]

Which means it was all a dream. But with millions of incredible deals on Priceline, those travel dreams can be a reality. Download the Priceline app today and you.

[Dearica Hamby]

Can save up to 60% off hotels.

[Sue Bird]

And up to 50% off flights.

[Kelsey Plum]

So don't just dream about that trip. Book it with Priceline.

[Sue Bird]

You're averaging 22 points, nine and a half rebounds and you're shooting 66.6%.

[Dearica Hamby]

It's getting player of the Month. Are you?

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, it is. It's very much giving. Player of the Month hey everybody. Welcome back to Bird's Eye View. Today's guest is a two time six Woman of the Year, a WNBA champion, All Star and straight up WNBA force who lets her game speak for itself. Today's guest is Dearrica Hamby. She's been dominating LA this season, leading the Sparks in points, rebounds and presence every night. She's showing why her game translates and her impact multiplies. But Hamby's not just holding it down on the hardwood. She's doing it as a mom, a mentor and a voice for what it really means to be a woman in pro sports. This Year, she's playing some of the best basketball of her career, even snagging another Western Conference player of the week title on Tuesday. We're talking all things basketball, all things balance, and the grind. Let's get into it. But before we do, it's time for Sue's view. Okay, so for this week's Sue's view, I'm going to start by talking about Arike Gumbawale and her resurgence. You know, this season has been. It's been tough for Arike, right? Like we had her on the show earlier in the year. We talked about the growing pains for her, having a new coach, having a new team, a young team. You can tell she was still finding herself. And while it probably took her longer than she would have liked, like all great athletes, she got there. She got there before All Star break, she was averaging 15.7 points, four assists over two turnovers. And her shooting percentage was like 34 and a half from the field and 30 and a half from three. After All Star, she's averaging 18.5 points, six assists, less than two turnovers. She's shooting 50% from two and 41.7% from from three. And the Wings are two and two in those games. So shout out to Arike, like, this is not easy. The story is the mental fortitude and the bounce back of a vet player. And the lesson is that this is something that no athlete is immune to. And the bounce back always speaks louder than the slump on top of that. Arike, I don't know if you know this, but these numbers from your last four games are not just better than the previous 23, they're also the best we've seen in your career from an efficiency standpoint. So again, shout out to you. All right, next up, I'm going to talk about Skylar Diggins and this triple double run she's on. Skylar has recently had the first triple double in All Star Game history and broke the assist record with 15. We all know whose record she broke. She then followed that with the Storm franchise's second triple double ever. First one was Tamika Johnson. Shout out to her. Skyler did this against Connecticut when she dropped 11 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. But she did this in just three quarters. So these are three legit feats and I wanted to start here, but I also wanted to highlight Skyler's impact on the Storm success all season. She's averaging 17 points, 5.8 assists and 2.9 rebounds and has a net rating of 10.6 when she's on the floor. She's literally doing it in all facets of the game. I mean, you don't have triple doubles if you're not. But to give you an idea of what I'm saying, when she's off the floor and there's essentially a 25 point difference for Seattle. Now listen, every team is going to play better and win more when they shoot better. That's just life. But I also think it's important to note that when Skylar shoots above 40% from 3, the team is 11 and 3 and to really hammer home her impact across the board. The Storm is 14 and 4. When she has five or more assists, no team is about one player, but Skyler's numbers this year are almost equivalent to her numbers when she helped the Phoenix Mercury reach the Finals. I'll just leave that right here. Okay, Last but not least for Sue's View. I chat a lot about the LA Sparks Post Allstar Break Play with my guest today, Derica Hamby. They were 40 when we talked, and since they've moved to 5 and 1 post break, they had a huge win at New York and something Derica talked about was needing experience in winning those close games. So maybe that game can be a spark for them. They're 11 and 15 on the season and they currently sit in 10th, but they're just two games out of that final playoff spot. So I did a pre All Star post All Star comparison and what really jumps out is their offensive efficiency. They went from sixth in offensive rating to second, they're shooting the three really well and they're scoring in the paint at a really high level. If they could get their turnovers down, this might even lead to more offensive success for them. But De Erica knew this. She knows they have a special group offensively. She herself is averaging 19.8 points post break, and it's not just her. Kelsey plumb is at 21 points, Rekia Jackson is at 16.2 and Azari is at 15.7. What D' Erika talks about in this episode is their defense needing to find its identity. They're sitting in 10th in defensive rating, so definitely have room for improvement. That's why. Something to keep your eye on Cameron Brink's return. She was averaging 2.3 blocks before tearing her ACL last season, and if the numbers held, she would have been second on the team in defensive rating. Can her paint presence and her defensive versatility help propel the Sparks? Can't wait to find out. All right, that's it for Sue's View. We're going to get to the interview, but real quick. Thank you, Perry Wang, who basically hooks me up with all these numbers. So the last time I saw you was on straight to camp.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Talking about Loboos.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, we're talking about the boo boos. Thank you, by the way. I had no idea you got gifted one. I got gifted one.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So now I know what a Labubu is.

[Dearica Hamby]

Are you with the trend or you put it on your.

[Sue Bird]

No, Megan immediately stole it, so she likes it. So she's been rocking it on, like, bags.

[Dearica Hamby]

I seen Stewie just gifted all her teammates, and I was like, coming in town right in time. I was like, maya needs one.

[Sue Bird]

I know, it's crazy. I, like, literally had no idea. And then from that moment now it's like all I see.

[Dearica Hamby]

All you see? Like, even walking out here, that's all I see.

[Sue Bird]

It's all I see. Um, do you like being, like. Do you like being a guest host with Cam? Is that been cool?

[Dearica Hamby]

It was cool. I told her. I was like, I could have just finished out a few more episodes, but, yeah, I enjoyed it. It became more fluid as time, like, the episodes went on and we got to talk to Terrence. That was really cool, like, talking to other basketball players.

[Sue Bird]

So is it something you'd be interested in doing, like, later on?

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't know. I thought about doing something with Amaya. Honestly, like, more kid friendly, though.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

But, yeah, I can like conversations like this. I feel like I'm pretty good at. But I don't fully enjoy being on camera yet.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. So you're getting more comfortable. Thank you for coming here then. Just for you, I really appreciate it. Yeah, I also, like I said, appreciate you teaching me about Labubus. You know, I've since been gifted, but we'll get to that.

[Dearica Hamby]

I have a funny. Oh, you're gonna talk about Labu's?

[Sue Bird]

No, no, no.

[Dearica Hamby]

We were in Connecticut, and they have, like, quests. Kids quest or something like that. Maya goes to the arcade while I'm taking my nap, and she comes back. She's like, mom, I want a boo boo. And she opens it. She's like, but it was a lefufu.

[Sue Bird]

You already got fake labubus.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, it was like 10 teeth. And then the eyes are bigger. And then I think she just pushed on the faces, like, more squishy, and the eyes popped out and, like, on purpose. I don't know, but I think it was just, like, faulty.

[Sue Bird]

So the F stands for faulty, fake, and faulty.

[Dearica Hamby]

So she was like, I'm taking it back. So they gave her another one.

[Sue Bird]

How often do your kids travel with you?

[Dearica Hamby]

I would say at least one of them are on every trip. Maya usually spends a month, like, in the summer with her dad's side in Georgia doing all the country stuff. But, yeah, I would say that I at least have one of them, but they're both on this trip, so.

[Sue Bird]

So nap time's always like, where am I gonna put them?

[Dearica Hamby]

No, they leave. I have. I have help on each trip, so if it's just me and Amaya, though, she kind of. She knows, like, to sit in the corner and let mommy nap.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. But I know. What is she, seven now?

[Dearica Hamby]

She's eight.

[Sue Bird]

Eight. Oh, she's eight. And how old's legend? Like, two.

[Dearica Hamby]

Two and, like, four months. Some change. Okay, cool.

[Sue Bird]

How was your All Star break?

[Dearica Hamby]

Oh, it was. It was nice. We went to Legoland. I stayed in California and just rested, and I got a little tan. This is dark for me, so. But it was nice to just rest, honestly. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. So, like, what were your. Thought you were an All Star in 2024. Were you, like, upset? Did you feel snubbed? Or you're like, oh, I can rest, I can rest.

[Dearica Hamby]

I mean, obviously you still feel a little bit away. Just like, the principle of it, like, I should have been one. But also understand we were. We weren't playing well at the time. And, I mean, my numbers are my numbers, but when. Usually when you're a bad team, you take one, so. And Kelsey, rightfully, has also had a great year, so. But I think anytime I face, like, a little bit of adversity, I've always come back hard, harder. So definitely I'm excited to see the second half of the season.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. I mean, well, that's like, literally, you just led me right to my next thing. First of all, before we get to, like, the start of your career, these first two games after a break, you're like scorched earth right now. You had 17 and 14 in a win against D.C. 2011. The other night against Connecticut in a win. Is this just, like, rest, or is it like a message?

[Dearica Hamby]

I think a little bit of both. Okay. And also think just getting confident and comfortable in the system and we're learning each other.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. It's brand new.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. And I think we always talk about the analytics of things. Like, we're really good offensively, and I don't think our record is, like, an indication of how good we are and can be. And so I think just being more comfortable and, like, Adding KP is a big piece and having to learn to play with her again, in a sense.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And so we're just. We're flowing right now.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. Did. Did you watch All Star? Are you able to, like, I watched.

[Dearica Hamby]

Like the clips on Twitter and stuff. And then I watched KP in a 3 point cont.

[Sue Bird]

With. Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

I watched Ray and Ricky's outfits, but.

[Sue Bird]

That was it fair. I get it. So, yeah. So you bring up, like, going through adversity in learning about your career. It does seem like you've had to, like, you had to learn resilience, like, pretty quickly and then like, relearn it, like, as you went through. But one thing I didn't know is that you didn't start playing until high school.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So, like, what happened there?

[Dearica Hamby]

I played baseball and softball.

[Sue Bird]

I know. Andrew Jones.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Everybody, like, it's always an awkward question for me. People are like, who's your favorite basketball player? And I was like, yeah, I didn't know any. I didn't have any. Like, like the first three I kind of knew about was Skyler, BG and Della Dyne when they came, like, as I was in college. Yeah. And they were like, what was. Who was like, coming out at the time. So. Yeah, I wasn't a big basketball player, fan player growing up, so to say. So I was. I loved baseball.

[Sue Bird]

So was it like. I mean, I read a little bit where it's like, you grew five inches.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I grew five inches. I had high waters and I had to put them in boots.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, man.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Whenever, my. Whenever, like, my tall teammates would tell stories of being younger and just like the grind of that.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

It's just. Yeah, it's tough. People don't understand.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, they don't understand. It's like, it's way better now, but.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, totally. Whether it's like, clothes that fit or people thinking. I mean, it sounds like your girl spurt. Girl spurt was a little later. But people thinking. I think I was talking to Stewie about this. Like, people thinking you're older than you are just because you're tall.

[Dearica Hamby]

I deal with that with Amaya. I have to, like, remind people. But as far as me in high school. Yes. I grew like five inches. And Talia McCall, she ended up going to Virginia, remember?

[Sue Bird]

I think so.

[Dearica Hamby]

Okay. She was a top player. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. Yeah, I think so.

[Dearica Hamby]

She's like, you should play.

[Sue Bird]

And I was like, was she in your high school?

[Dearica Hamby]

She was at my high school. I played softball my freshman and sophomore year, and I tried out for the baseball team. My sophomore year also. Yeah, my sophomore year also. And yeah, I just grew and I played JV my sophomore year, and then I went into AAU that summer and then I came back and I was a starter. And then I transferred and went to play with diamond to Shields. That's how we got super close and we consider each other family. I actually lived with her to go to school, so it was, like, done the right way. And then. Yeah, so.

[Sue Bird]

So was it like, oh, she's tall, she should play.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, literally. And I had, like, fast feet. I think that's. No, it didn't. Yeah, like, part of it came naturally to me, but you could tell I was still just really just raw. And so I guess I somewhat trained.

[Sue Bird]

So, yeah, I was. Actually. That's part of what I was going to ask, like, at some point, you obviously, we know the end of the story, which is, like, you get recruited by colleges, so did you feel like starting late kind of gave you, like, did it hinder this college recruitment process? Or maybe it was, like, ignorance.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I think it was just right, you know, like, I don't have, like, not going with us, but, you know, a lot of people kind of get burned out when they start a lot earlier. And so my love for the game came a lot later than most people. You hear everybody talk about, like, oh, I was in middle school or. And, yeah, I didn't have that until pretty much I really got to the pros. And so I think I'm grateful that, like, it came later because I think I still have a lot more left in the tank. And I haven't really even. I think, really. I think I'm kind of like in my prime. Eleven years.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. No, it makes sense, though, given, like, the timeline of, like, what I would call maybe like, call like a typical. Where. I mean, for me, I literally started not in any serious way, but, like, elementary school. I was on teams and the local team and this and that. So it makes sense that, like, felt.

[Dearica Hamby]

Like the one thing was like, I wasn't part of USA Basketball.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And it was like, in college, I was like, I'm better than, like, you know, and it was like, yeah, wait your turn. Wait your turn. And then eventually. Yeah. So that's why USA Basketball and I got the opportunity maybe three or four years ago. It meant a lot to me.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. All right. So you ultimately, you know, you do get recruited. Obviously, you choose Wake Forest. What made you want to go there?

[Dearica Hamby]

I didn't think I was going to play basketball post college, so I wanted to be at a good school that was going to give me a great education. And at the time, Amaya's father was at the University of Richmond or going, no, sorry. He was gonna go to University of Richmond or NC State. And Wake Forest happens to be like, in the middle, right? Yeah. And so obviously it worked out that time. We were together 10 years and.

[Sue Bird]

Wow, I didn't realize you guys were together 10 years.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, we grew up together, essentially. So, yeah, that was a big part of why I went there. And then mostly the education, though.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. And then were there other schools even in the mix or.

[Dearica Hamby]

It was like, yeah, I had a lot of like, top five or not top five, big five schools, but not like top 20 teams, so to say it was like, at the time it was like South Florida, South Carolina wasn't what they are now. West Virginia, Florida and Wake were my five. And then I grew up from Georgia. So like, when I first started, I was like, oh, I'm going to play at Georgia Tech. I'm going to play at Georgia Tech. And she never offered me until after I. She offered me at the very last minute.

[Sue Bird]

And who was there at the time?

[Dearica Hamby]

Michelle Joseph. And so I was like, that's so funny.

[Sue Bird]

Why was Georgia Tech your dream?

[Dearica Hamby]

Because my mom worked there. She used to run the concessions at the football games that in Auburn. And so I was always like hawking bull peanuts at a young age at these colleges. And like, I was like, I had a crush on Cam Newton. I always wanted to be at Auburn or Georgia Tech.

[Sue Bird]

Okay, all right. So you go to Wake, you have like an unbelievable career considering when you started you're still the leading, the all time leader in points and rebounds. What was like. So from, let's call it sophomore year, you're on the JV team to your senior year. Like, what is that evolution for you in your game?

[Dearica Hamby]

Like, honestly don't know.

[Sue Bird]

You're like, I was just.

[Dearica Hamby]

It just kind of happened. It just happened. Like, I've always had motor and skill, you know, and I think it's just kind of. It just all like clicked for me at once. And yeah, I was averaging like 22 and 11. We weren't that good. But in the ACC still against.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, no, you're going against Elizabeth Williams.

[Dearica Hamby]

And so that's when everybody's like, oh, you could play in the wnba. And I was like, the what? Like, the what? And kind of from there it was like I started to, like, take it more serious. And then that off season, I trained well, not off season. But college summer. Yeah. Yeah, but it was one of those things. I didn't. I was just was out there.

[Sue Bird]

So who first said. Who first talked to you about the WNBA Coach Hoover. And she was like, this could be a thing.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I think it was kind of obvious, like, started to like circulate and stuff of like when they were doing mock drafts and.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. What are you seeing in those mock drafts?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I was like.

[Sue Bird]

I was like, are you in the top 10?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I was in the top 10, I think, my junior year. And I was kind of like, what? Okay, so my senior year, I thought I was end up in Seattle. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

I'm like, what pick do we have?

[Dearica Hamby]

You had one in three. But then Jewel entered and Amanda's alibi entered.

[Sue Bird]

Yes, yes. Yeah, we had to be, right? Yeah, we had one in three.

[Dearica Hamby]

So everything happens for a reason.

[Sue Bird]

No, that's true. Yeah. So, well, real quick, before we get to draft day, draft night, what was like the like hiring an agent process, like, for you?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, for me.

[Sue Bird]

Like, were people calling you?

[Dearica Hamby]

Did you have to reach out to them, someone? My college coach had a good relationship with Eric Wisel. And it was kind of the only person that I talked to. And he's been like a father to me.

[Sue Bird]

So you're still with him?

[Dearica Hamby]

I'm still with him. I owe him like everything.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you guys have been through a.

[Dearica Hamby]

Lot and just loyal to him. He's going to be my basketball agent, so I feel like I owe him that.

[Sue Bird]

Okay, so what's he. He telling you about? Like, so it's draft night now.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Outside of, you know, your outfit and you got to get right. What's telling you about, like potentially where. Where you might go?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So like, are you aware he.

[Dearica Hamby]

He didn't say much actually. Tulsa had the second pick and Fred called me like hours before the draft and he was like, I really wanted to take you second. And he was like, but this is a group decision. And he was like, and I'm outvoted.

[Sue Bird]

And so did you know Fred Pryor or was this just like.

[Dearica Hamby]

And we talked a little bit, like just interviewing coaches and stuff.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

And so, yeah, when he was like, I'm not. We're not going to take you. So I was, okay. I'll end up probably in Chicago because Chicago had the fifth pick and then they took Cheyenne and then Daniel and.

[Sue Bird]

That was kind of. That was like, not a surprise, but that was.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sue Bird]

She's like mid major.

[Dearica Hamby]

She wasn't there.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, she wasn't there. Yeah. But A mid major kid.

[Dearica Hamby]

And so then Dan Hughes texted me. He's like, you're coming to San Antonio? And then I was like, okay. So I like.

[Sue Bird]

And had you talked to him prior?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, he was. I had an extensive interview with him. He was kind of like, I don't think you'll be there, but like, if you are, like, we're gonna take you in Washington. I think they were like seventh or eighth. They also kind of said the same thing. But yeah, he would ask me things. Like, he was like, if I draw up this play, da da. Like, what would you do? And I was like, what do you mean? Like, score the ball or something. It was like questions where I was like, are these real questions? But I really enjoyed. I mean, you got to spend time with Dan.

[Sue Bird]

Dan's like. I mean, I got him a little later.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sue Bird]

By the time he was coaching us, it was probably. So you got drafted in 2015. You were with Dan a couple years. I get. He comes to the storm in.

[Dearica Hamby]

So like four years.

[Sue Bird]

2018. Yeah. So a couple years later. So, yeah, he was always. He felt like a dad.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

In that moment. Like a grandpa. Like, his grandkids are actually around. And that was always like, the vibe he had.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, no, we still have a good relationship. We talk every once in a while.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Yeah, he's a good dude. So. Yeah. So you get drafted by San Antonio. It's 2015. You're the sixth pick. What's your first impressions when you get there?

[Dearica Hamby]

This is gonna sound so bad, but.

[Sue Bird]

No, that's why I'm laughing.

[Dearica Hamby]

So I was like, I was. I had Sophia Malcolm Young, D.A.

[Sue Bird]

D. Rob, who is Daniel Adams, Daniel.

[Dearica Hamby]

Robinson, my coach now, and Jayna Pell, Alex Montgomery.

[Sue Bird]

I just saw her at All Star, actually. Yeah, She's a Seattle kid, Washington kid.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I don't. I hate this. I don't want to say, like, they didn't like me, but, you know, the whole like. But it feels like Ricky hazing feels like. No, not even Ricky hazing. Just like, I came in, I was a starter, and it just kind of. It feels like that. And that could be just you in your own head or like you feel like the toughness of like you're like.

[Sue Bird]

The new kid on the ball.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Yeah. So. But I. Yeah, I had a good rookie season up until I sprained my ankle. I think I was on pace to be rookie of the year. And then Jewel took off the second half and I kind of like trended down. So, yeah, really great for my time. I Had great vets and still have great relationships with all of them, so.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. But do you remember playing in Freeman Coliseum?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yes, I do. I remember playing Freman College.

[Sue Bird]

That was tough, man.

[Dearica Hamby]

It was tough.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, my God. That was. That was.

[Dearica Hamby]

Antioch was tougher.

[Sue Bird]

What'd you say? The practice facility, the price facility. Yeah, yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

That's how. When people are like, oh, no. I'm like, I listen. You have no idea. This is great.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, I just remember, like, for those that have ever been to I don't even know what it's called now at&T Center.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So for those that have been to San Antonio, whether it's the spurs or the Stars, whatever. It's like as a player, you come in this gate and then there's like this long driveway kind of a thing. You got to turn the corner sometimes.

[Dearica Hamby]

There's cows back there.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, yeah. It sounds like absolute shit. Like, quite literally, it smells like cow shit. And you turn this corner. And then for that one year, that one season when AT&T center was being like, you know, redone, instead of taking that right down into the. Into the arena, you had to go left into this, like, where they do the rodeos.

[Dearica Hamby]

Literally.

[Sue Bird]

Literally. I mean, it was fine. It was. It was what it was. But that's an interesting, like, intro into the wnba. Like, you really got like a taste of like, I guess what we'll call now like the old WNBA as opposed to what's happening now.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So like, when you think about the drastic change there, the drastic difference. Like, how amazing is it now?

[Dearica Hamby]

I know, and that's why I try to. Obviously the silly. Did Seattle have the facility when you were.

[Sue Bird]

No, I missed it.

[Dearica Hamby]

Oh, okay. But when people were like, oh, like LA doesn't have. I'm like, I can wait another year. Like, we, me and Kelsey joke about it all the time. Like, we.

[Sue Bird]

We've had a lot of.

[Dearica Hamby]

We can wait another year. Yeah, we can wait another year for something really special.

[Sue Bird]

Support for this show comes from Google Pixel. It's 2025. You don't need to settle for just any old smartphone. You can have a smarter phone like the Google Pixel 9 Pro. Pixel 9 Pro comes with Gemini, your built in AI assistant that helps you supercharge your ideas. And now with Gemini Live, you can have an actual conversation with Gemini. So the next time you want to brainstorm party ideas, uncover interesting fun facts, or even get quizzed on basketball trivia, you can ask Gemini. And it features Pixel's best camera yet. Built to capture everyone in beautiful resolution. It has a pro triple rear camera super res zoom now available for video, and their Add Me feature which gets your entire group in the pics, including the person taking the photo. All that adds up so you'll never have to miss a shot and never have to settle for less than extraordinary. Meet Pixel 9 Pro with a stunning new design, the advanced AI power of Gemini and their best camera yet. Now we're talking. You can learn more about the new Google Pixel 9 with Gemini Live on the Google Store. Sequences shortened. Gemini Live available for ages 18, compatible with certain features and with certain accounts. Results for illustrative purposes and may vary. Check responses for accuracy. Support for Bird's Eye View comes from Nike no matter the team, no matter the ranking, every season starts with the same goal. Win it all. And Nike knows that reaching that goal starts long before the final whistle. It starts with the battles at practice, the losses that keep you up at night, and everything in between. Nike has the best gear to get you on the court, field or track, and pushing through your hardest moments. So whether you're the champ or you're looking to knock them off the pedestal, Nike is there to help you with winning no matter where you play. Visit nike.com for more information and be sure to follow Nike on Instagram, TikTok and other social platforms for more great basketball moments.

[Cameron Brink]

Support for this show comes from Icy Hot There's a reason comebacks feel so good. Because there's nothing worse than pain and self doubt. But when you overcome it and get back to doing what you do best, that's the best feeling in the world. You push your body to its limits and discover new ones. It's a satisfying feeling and it doesn't come for free. Too often pain gets in the way. Stiff muscles, a kink in your shoulder, or even an old injury that pops back up at the worst time. But we're past letting pain hold us back. Icy Hot offers fast acting, powerful pain relief for your joints and muscles post workout. It starts with a cooling sensation that dulls the pain and then a warming sensation to relax it. Ice works fast and heat makes it last. Their formula contains four times the pain relieving ingredient than the leading competitor. Plus it's a no mess quick dry application so you can roll it on comfortably and keep it moving. With Icy Hot you don't need to let pain stand in your way. You've earned your comeback so you can get back in the game and back to your best self. With Icy Hot you your so back. Buy Icy Hot Original no mess now.

[Sue Bird]

So what Was like, what was. What was your biggest adjustment to the actual. Your rookie year, to the actual play?

[Dearica Hamby]

I think I adjusted pretty well. Like, I'm a pretty physical player, so I feel like I've always kind of been that way. But I would say more about, like, reading defense. Defense and stuff. I remember one game in Atlanta, going up against Sandra a little, and I was kind of cooking. I was like, oh, shit. Like. Like, you're here.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

But just. I would say, like, the injury. Like, having injuries was always, like, a weird thing when you haven't, like, had them. And so there's always usually one. And that was, like, the sprained ankle. And it's like the. More of the mental, like, coming back from that and then getting back to the level of play. You know, in college, you could kind of coast, and you could still do what you were gonna do. And, like, it doesn't stop in the pros, so.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, no, that is hard. I think a lot of people. I've talked about this a bunch, whether it was, like, Chelsea Gray having to do it last year, where you're, like, coming back from something in the middle of the season. I think we're seeing Caitlin Clark dealing with it now, where, like, you're in and you're out, and that's so hard. First of all, it's hard to do in the WNBA because the schedule, it's, like. It's long, but it's short. Right. You're out two weeks. You're missing, like, five, six games. But then trying to. To your point, trying to get back in. Nobody cares.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, they don't.

[Sue Bird]

You're still going against, like, all the top talent night after night so that you never get the chance. Like, can I just get a minute to, like, test this out? See how I feel? It happens so fast. But I do remember you, your rookie year, because for me, it was like, you did. You came out of nowhere.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

It was like. I'm like, who the fuck is this? You know, in some ways. Cause Wake Forest, like, wasn't on TV a lot. Did you guys even go to the NCAA tournament?

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't even remember. No, we went to one WNIT, I think, my junior year.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

We played UConn in the Bahamas, and they kicked our ass. I think fucking Stewie played five minutes and then was out the rest of the game. And she had, like, 20 points, so we didn't play a lot of top teams outside of, like, the acc.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. So do you think, like, for lack of a, better, like, flying under the radar a Little bit helped you kind of like, coming into the league.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. I think it relieves the pressure. I think it removed a lot of pressure from me, so to say. And even when I went on and had Amaya my second year, it was kind of like, if I keep playing, I keep playing. Like. And obviously I did keep playing and I got better, but I think it just removed the pressure of, like, I could just. I didn't come in with the mental probably, I guess, taxing stuff that other players probably experienced.

[Sue Bird]

Right, right. You already mentioned some of the vets you played with. Sophia, Oops. Sophia Young, Malcolm D. Rob, even Kayla McBride. She's like a year older, but she was already, like, an all Star. But Sid Colson was also there.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

And I'm like, tell everybody. I know the answer. But was she always like this?

[Dearica Hamby]

She wasn't as funny that first year. She was not as funny the first year.

[Sue Bird]

That's funny. She was more quiet.

[Dearica Hamby]

She wasn't more quiet. She just wasn't as, like. No, it wasn't as often.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

It was still there. I have the one story I've told a few times where we were in the locker room. I don't know if this was my first year. No. Because I think KP was there. It was the second year, and Christine was our strength and conditioning coach. And remember, like, back then you would play the game, you were catching a flight, like, probably an hour and a half or, like, two hours. So it's like, we got to go. We got to go. And we are in the locker room, fresh after a game. Like, we're changing to get into the showers.

[Sue Bird]

I'm nervous.

[Dearica Hamby]

Christine is like, let's go, let's go. Like, she's told us, like, five times, but we're, like, changing. And Cindy Coulson puts on her backpack, like, butt, ass naked. And it's like, okay, okay, like. And, like, acts like she's, like, running out of the door. Yeah. It's like, we're ready. So that's, like one of my all time, like, favorite Sydney Coulson stories.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Like, what is she like as a teammate?

[Dearica Hamby]

Oh, she's cool. I mean, she's cool. No, but she's funny. She's a great balance to the hard. Yeah. The seriousness. And, you know, I'm sure she matured over the last few years. I didn't get her on the back end of being in Vegas, but I've always enjoyed having her as a teammate and friend.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. So some other teammates you had that. I'm curious your thoughts on. You got to play with Mariah Jefferson in her rookie year. I know. All right, let's just start. I was gonna say Kelsey Plum her rookie year, but let's start with Mariah. Like, I don't think a lot of people understand. It's almost in some ways a little bit of a sad story. You know, she. She in that rookie year had some knee issues that feels like have plagued her pretty much the rest of her career. But what. Tell everybody. Like, what was she like her first?

[Dearica Hamby]

She was cold. She was cold and she was so fast.

[Sue Bird]

So fast.

[Dearica Hamby]

Probably one of the fastest people would.

[Sue Bird]

Have been an All Star, but that year was an Olympic year, so there was no All Star game. So, like, would have been an All Star.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. A good leader at a young age. She was. She was very smart, but like you said, just unfortunate. But it's still happy to see her pushing.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, yeah. She's still out there, for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah. What? Like, do, like, if. Okay, so it's. It was 2016 when she got drafted, so it's like, what, at the end of that season without the injury.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

The way she played. What are you thinking for her career?

[Dearica Hamby]

That she's gonna be Sue. She's gonna be little Sue. Yeah, for sure. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So Plum comes in, rookie year, coming off like this amazing college career, leading scorer. We all know she's firing T shirt cannons at the spurs games. What was Plum like her rookie year?

[Dearica Hamby]

She was a little innocent baby doll. She was feisty, but still. I met her the draft weekend or no Final four weekend. I just had Amaia and I'm pushing the stroller and I walk up to her and I'm like, hi, we're gonna be teammates. And. And she's just like, okay. But she wasn't as vocal as she is now and even I would say as confident, but me, her, and Nia Coffey, we kind of all just kind of like, clicked together. And that was like our group and just really built a deep friendship and a love that obviously continued to see, like, over time. And so, yeah, I'm just, you know, she came in with a lot of pressure, and she may feel. Or people on the outside may feel like it didn't pan out initially how it was supposed to. But she's one of the hardest working people that I know and has utmost confidence in herself now. And so she's really, like, thriving. Obviously.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

You've.

[Sue Bird]

I mean, you've literally almost been, like, witness.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

To her growth.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

All of it.

[Dearica Hamby]

And it's obvious, personally like, even in those beginning years. So.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, no, she definitely went through a lot. I. I always give Plum, like, so much credit for that, because that's not easy when people are doubting you, putting you down. But you already brought up Amaya a couple times.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So In September of 2016, after averaging, you're off to a great start. It's like nine points, five rebounds, and 25 starts. You announce you're going to miss the rest of the season because of a pregnancy.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Which ends up being beautiful. Amaya, who was born in February, listed as an injury. Yeah. Oh, really? That's what they list as it before.

[Dearica Hamby]

You're like, no, no.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, like on the box score.

[Dearica Hamby]

Injury. But that's a problem. That's in our cba. They're like. They're not separated.

[Sue Bird]

It's listed as an injury.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. It's not. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

That's insane.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. It might be changed now.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. But back then. Okay, so I gotta, like, ask, like, because I can't imagine it's like, what is happening for you. I'm just gonna let you speak on it.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Let's go. So for me, I didn't. Neither one of my pregnancies were planned, but at the time, me and my mom have a really great relationship, and she was always a young mom, so I kind of always dreamed of being a young mom. I didn't know in that moment that that's what it was gonna be. Quite honestly, me and her father just got back together, so I wasn't expecting it. And then. And at the time, the W wasn't. I mean, just Candace had a kid, and maybe, like, Taylor Hill.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. There had been moms, but it wasn't a lot at the time. Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And so I was kind of like, I mean, this could be it. And I went to Dan and I shared the news with him, and he was just so super supportive.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, there's Grandpa Dan.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, it was Grandpa. Literally Grandpa Dan in that moment. And I. We had the Olympic break, and so I was like, I want to keep playing. I want to, like, finish the season. I feel fine. And he was like, okay.

[Sue Bird]

By the way, very quickly, what are doctors telling you in that moment? Like, what is, like, safe there?

[Dearica Hamby]

You can play, like, up until. I mean, I would say, like, five or six months, depending on how much you're showing.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

They said as long. And I didn't show much until I carried that way. In general, I didn't show up until, like, six months. So you're. The baby is. When they're like, they're like, down, down in there and they're little. Like, it would have to take like, a lot of force and a very intentional, like, gotcha blow for something like that to happen. But anybody around you that loves and cares about you is gonna be scared for you. And so it was kind of. He never said it, but I could tell. And he would, you know, I would start the game and then he'd pull me and then I just wouldn't play. And then I was like, I get it. So. Because I think legally you can't, you know, say those kind of things. So, yeah, he was still very supportive and was like, we're going to get you back. And there's no sense for you to jeopardize anything, though. Like, we're not going to make the playoffs and. Yeah. So, yeah, my. It's not worth it.

[Sue Bird]

Right. So then, you know, obviously Amaya is now like, priority number one in your life, but are there moments where you're, I don't know, like, scared for your. Your career, Scared that you won't come back?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I mean, that for sure. I mean, both pregnancies, I think you. You just have those. I've had those fears, rather. I, like, I intend, like, you intend on coming back, but it is like, am I going to be the same?

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And so for me, after, I obviously had. Had. Was having success in Vegas and I become pregnant, I'm like, is this it? Like, yeah, you don't. And I. And it's just a fear. Um, but how did you manage the reality? I mean, I just kept working out and then. But I was, you know, I'm 28. And you hadn't. We hadn't seen many pregnancies at that age. So that was like, when I was 22 is a little different also. The bounce back is different.

[Sue Bird]

I mean, you came back in six weeks.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, the bounce back was better.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. You return. I mean, no, you bounce back in 28. We're going to get to the bounce back at 28 too. But you return in the 2017 season. Six weeks later, you played the first game. Yeah, no, I feel like, how.

[Dearica Hamby]

I think my mom. She's got good genetics. No, no.

[Sue Bird]

Some of it. Honestly, some of it might be.

[Dearica Hamby]

I think I just was fortunate. And I don't like to talk about this a lot because I don't like to make people maybe feel bad or think about their situations any differently. But, yeah, I, I mean, I only gained 16 pounds of the Maya and I had, like, natural deliveries and I didn't Tear. So I had, like, the perfect.

[Sue Bird]

Things were, like, going.

[Dearica Hamby]

It was perfect almost as a pregnancy and delivery that you could, like, think of. And then, yeah, the doctor's like, a six weeks. And so I was down in San Antonio. I had Maya, February 5th. That's her birthday. Yeah. So then, yeah, at the end of March, I was in San Antonio, and I had April, May, two months to get ready for the season.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

Wow.

[Sue Bird]

So, man, that's incredible.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I did a lot of. I hate pool workouts. That's probably why I hate pool workouts.

[Sue Bird]

I did a lot of soaring.

[Dearica Hamby]

I did a lot of swimming to just shop to get my conditioning and stuff up under me without putting a ton of blow on my legs.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. I feel. End of my career, I did a lot of pool workouts. I don't think I've been in the pool since.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, KP does that too.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, I know she does. Well, you know Susan.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Susan puts us in the pool. Okay. So overall, you spent three seasons in San Antonio before the team gets moved to Vegas.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Where were you when you got that call?

[Dearica Hamby]

Well, actually.

[Sue Bird]

And by the way. And how hype were you?

[Dearica Hamby]

I had actually never been to Vegas.

[Sue Bird]

Prior to that, like, in your life?

[Dearica Hamby]

In my life. And I get to Vegas and I end up staying in Vegas and, like, loving it and living there. But we actually. Because me and KP were close, and she's friends with Dejounte Murray, and he was on the spurs. And so we found out before they even told us.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

So they had already been talking about it in the spurs locker room. Whatever. And so KB comes to me, and she's like. They're saying, like, we're getting, like, sold to Vegas. And I was like, well, I mean, who's gonna be mad?

[Sue Bird]

No.

[Dearica Hamby]

So. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

And by the way, I know we're joking about, like, Freeman Coliseum, but San Antonio was, like, rich in basketball history. Yeah, you got. It was a great franchise. Obviously, they went to the finals. I forget what year it was, but they went to the finals. They had a lot of history to it. Yeah. Dan was there for forever. So it was. It was sad in a sense. I feel like anytime a franchise moves, even if it's the right thing, there is a little bit of sadness to it. But we're going to Las Vegas now.

[Dearica Hamby]

We're going to Las Vegas, and we.

[Sue Bird]

Know it's not a bad thing.

[Dearica Hamby]

And we have a new coach. Bill Laimbeer.

[Sue Bird]

We have a new coach, and we.

[Dearica Hamby]

Did not get off on the right footing.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, my God.

[Dearica Hamby]

But No, I don't think it's just how he was and is, but, I mean, kind of with both me and Plum, I think we had this experience with both coaching changes where they were like, you're not our four. You're not our two.

[Sue Bird]

That's what Bill said to you?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yes.

[Sue Bird]

Just flat out.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. And the next. And later, the next coach said that also.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. So in that moment, right, when Bill's saying that to you, and the one thing about Bill Laimbeer I've never played for, outside looking in, like, what you can, and I do have respect for this, and that's the question I'm gonna ask. It's like, he knows what he wants. Whether you agree with it is different. You know, that style that he played, because I played against him in Detroit, played against him in New York, it's the same style. And then Vegas, I don't know that that's the style for me or that I would want to play in, but I do respect that he knows what he wants and he's gonna do it. So in that moment, are you like, okay, coach, I respect this. Are you, like, be serious a little bit.

[Dearica Hamby]

Like, are you fucking serious? But also, like, all right, here's another thing I gotta be resilient about and overcome. And I'm one of those things in hindsight where I really, really appreciate him and grateful because, like you said, he was very straightforward, and you don't get that a lot. And so it's one of those things, like, where it was, like. It felt kind of mean or rude in the moment, but it was like he was gonna shoot it straight. And so he would tell you, like, I'm thinking about trading you. Like, there was no.

[Sue Bird]

Just to your face.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, to your face. He told Plum, I'm gonna send you to Indiana for a bag of chips. Like so. And then, like, I think he also was trying to find ways to, like, get you going. Yeah, so. And he did that. He did that.

[Sue Bird]

No, you had. I mean, I. I understand that it might not started the way you wanted.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Bill Lambert era. But, like, you had some. You had, like, a. A jump.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. I think he'd end up falling in love with me a little bit. Like, okay, on the, like, basketball, you.

[Sue Bird]

Kind of are his style.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Sue Bird]

I could see how he would.

[Dearica Hamby]

But I think he was so, like. Because of our initial, like, meeting, so to say, I think he was just, like. His ego was like, I can't. Like, I told her she'd never play for me, and here it is. That I need her to play for me. Yeah. And so like you said, like, I. I mean, I think the year we went to the semifinals, well, we went to the finals in the bubble and then the semifinal. I think we were gonna win it that next year, regardless.

[Sue Bird]

Regardless. Yeah, that's usually how it happens.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

You knock on the door a couple times and then before we get to that, we gotta talk about the back to. Back to back number one picks.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So you get Plum, then that's followed by Asia, then Jackie.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So now that you have. So if we fast forward, we're now in like, you know, 2018. 19. Yeah, yeah. So we're 2019 season. So now it's like you've got these players really talented. You've still got Caleb McBride.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Who's like all star. Are you guys starting to feel. Are you starting to feel pressure to perform? Are you still very much, like, young and free? Like, you're not that old either.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, we were still young and free.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

I mean, obviously Asia had won in the college level and stuff, but we didn't really have experience with winning, so didn't really know what that felt like, what we were missing out on. So to say it was kind of like, oh, we almost got used to losing, like, and it was just kind of going through the motion of like, we got another season, but, like, we'll see what happens next. So. Yeah. And getting all the number one picks. And then I think, who do we add that we added in the bubble.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, before the bubble.

[Dearica Hamby]

Oh, no, before the bubble.

[Sue Bird]

So 2019, you had Liz.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, we added Liz.

[Sue Bird]

You have like, Tamara Young's on the team, so you have like a good little mix and that's also like simultaneous to your jump.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So from 2018 to 2019, you go from averaging like seven and a half points to 11. You go from like three and a half rebounds to six and a half. You won sixth player of the year. So like I said, you're still coming off the bench, but your minutes increased by 10. So, like, you're like on the floor. And not only on the floor. Hold that thought. Hold that thought. Before I get to that, do you know what I'm going to say? I think, okay, we'll get to that a second then before I get to that, what do you credit, like, this jump to? Like, you're playing overseas now regularly. So is it like something in terms of honing your game, building up, you know, aspects of your game, or is it just opportunity?

[Dearica Hamby]

I think, I think confidence and opportunity you know, you come back from overseas, you are, like, you're confident.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Because you're the man over there. You got to be the person over there.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I think just showing myself that, like, things that I could do that I don't necessarily have had worked on in the past, like, in the W. I've always been more like a hustle player. Run, get, pick and rolls, train, start shooting threes. Yeah. So then, like, I'm inconsistent. But.

[Sue Bird]

Your percentages aren't bad, though. I get the inconsistency, but they're. You're, like, slowly climbing from, like, high 20s. Now you're low 30s.

[Dearica Hamby]

I just gotta get rip. I gotta shoot more. Shoot more threes. And so, yeah, I would just say just opportunity being. I think if you look at my numbers, they've always been. Even when I would go in, like, free agency or coaches and GMs would call, they'd be like, if you. Your per 40 is, like, insane. And if you played more minutes, you'd be an all star. You'd be all wnba, so. And I think that has shown, like, my efficiency and stuff over time.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. So very quickly, the 2019 Aces, you guys were, like, rolling.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

You've got Liz, you know, very difficult to play against you. Asia hurts her ankle at one point and that, I think that, like, it just, like, stunted things for a second.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Because you were, like, tippy tops of the league. You end up finishing fourth in the standings.

[Dearica Hamby]

We went on a crazy run.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you wanted a crazy run. Yes. You finished fourth. You go into the playoffs, it's the first time this, like, core group that, you know, if we. It's like, you, Asia, Jackie Plum, you've kind of been through it from, like, 2017, 18, 19. The move, all of it. You guys make the playoffs, and in the second round, you meet up with Chicago. Oh, we gotta talk about it.

[Dearica Hamby]

Okay.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. I, I literally right before we came here, I was like, let me just go watch it one more time. 30 seconds. What do you remember? And this is what I was going to say earlier is, like, even though you were coming off the bench.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. I was finishing games.

[Sue Bird]

You were finishing games.

[Dearica Hamby]

And that. Oh, no, that was later. I'll say. We started going with that big lineup that was. But if we would have done that sooner, we might have got Washington.

[Sue Bird]

Anyways, what do you remember about this playoff game against Chicago?

[Dearica Hamby]

I remember there's 10 seconds. I remember slooch dribbling, and it feels like forever. Like, in that moment, I definitely thought.

[Sue Bird]

It was, do you know what? You're down, like, in the moment. Maybe not now, but, like, I just. You're, like, very aware of everything.

[Dearica Hamby]

I knew we were down.

[Sue Bird]

Okay, you knew you were down.

[Dearica Hamby]

I knew we were down. I wasn't thinking, like, three or two. I just knew we were down. And slooch, dribbling. And like, I said, she's spinning around and, like, and is going forever. And then. So in my mind, there was, like, two seconds on the clock. And so when I get the still. When I get the still, I'm just like, shoot it.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

But the crazy. I haven't hit a half court shot since.

[Sue Bird]

No. No money for you.

[Dearica Hamby]

No money for me. I may hit one, but, like, and I. When I shoot it, I fling it, like, even when I'm just, like, joking around. And so it was the craziest experience for me because when I caught it, like, my hand turns and I, like, shoot it. So, like, it wasn't me. I don't know who shot it, but somebody took over. It wasn't me. And so, yeah, and shot it. And when I shoot it, I realize, because I kind of could see the clock as I'm shooting up and I'm like, oh. And I, like, chase after it. And as also, I'm chasing after. I see Sydney Coulson down there underneath the Basket and Caleb McBride over there, and I'm like, I'm gonna get traded.

[Sue Bird]

This is it.

[Dearica Hamby]

This is it. I'm getting traded. I fucked up. Yeah. Yeah. And so it goes in. And I mean, by the reactions, you can tell it was like.

[Sue Bird]

It was a lot of that.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

When you go rewatch it, it was a lot of, like, hands on the head. It was kind of like, what just happened? Oh, my God.

[Dearica Hamby]

But I do run back for defense.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you're ready for that. There's still five seconds.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, there's so much time. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

The way it, like, kind of plays out is a stew for Chicago. Hits a three to go up two points with, like, however, like, 25 seconds. You guys get the ball. Asia dry, like, kind of like face up, drive off her leg, out of bounds.

[Dearica Hamby]

Okay.

[Sue Bird]

And that sets up. That sets up Chicago's ball. Sloot has it. And so now we're in, like, the 14 second, down to eight seconds. She's. Kelsey is chasing her. Sloot's doing all the, like, you know, don't foul me. Kind of like bend, you know, back. Bend your. Your whole body there. Then you steal it. First question I have. Did you step out of bounds at the time?

[Dearica Hamby]

No, okay, good. Yes. No, now. Yes.

[Sue Bird]

You've seen it, I think.

[Dearica Hamby]

I'm pretty sure. It looks like I stepped out.

[Sue Bird]

It looks like it. It's hard to tell.

[Dearica Hamby]

It is.

[Sue Bird]

And they were going. Chicago was going nuts. But. Yeah. So you steal.

[Dearica Hamby]

It wasn't in place then, huh? No, it wasn't.

[Sue Bird]

They didn't have the camera angles for that.

[Dearica Hamby]

I mean, I feel like it's one of those things where it happens even if you hit it, it's just like. Well, like, just let it play out sports.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. So, yeah, so you steal it with about however many, like, eight, five to eight seconds. You heave it and then the ball goes in. Now you're up 93, 92.

[Dearica Hamby]

So you're up to get a stop.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. But there's still five seconds.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

What is. Whether it's, like, in that timeout or even after the game. Like, what did Bill say to you?

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't remember. I honestly don't even remember if he came back in the locker room after that game. Oh, man.

[Sue Bird]

You're just like, we're on to the next one.

[Dearica Hamby]

On to the next one.

[Sue Bird]

On to the next one. Here's the best part. When you go rewatch it. Lachina, who's, like, commentating the game, also a Demon Deacon, she, at one point, she was like, yeah, something about, like, oh, Chicago, you know, wondering if she stepped out of bounds. Zero clock awareness.

[Dearica Hamby]

You remember that? Yeah, I do remember.

[Sue Bird]

I was cracking up.

[Dearica Hamby]

Zero clock awareness for Somebody Loves Me. Yeah, she did say that.

[Sue Bird]

She did say that. But, yeah. So you end up going to the next round. You lose to the eventual champion. Yeah, the Mystics. But you kind of already mentioned it. This was, like, setting you guys up for, like, what ultimately is a championship in. In 2022 still. So you get to the bubble. Just what was your bubble experience? Overall?

[Dearica Hamby]

For me, it was fine. Like, I had my daughter and my mom, so I had support there. I had somebody cooking me food.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, you were in my apartments.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I was folding my laundry and, you know, rubbing my feet sometimes. No, so it was a different experience for me, I would say, for other people.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, I think everybody had a range, a spectrum of experience. Yeah, mine was actually fine also.

[Dearica Hamby]

You're easy going.

[Sue Bird]

I'm chill. I had Megan.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So I could bring, you know, my person in.

[Dearica Hamby]

Oh, yeah, I remember that. You guys got a lot of people.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, yeah, we did. Like, yeah, we worked the system a little bit.

[Dearica Hamby]

Y' all did work the system.

[Sue Bird]

I was old enough in the cba. Yeah, I was Old enough. So it's like. Because if you remember, I forget what the cutoff was, but there was a cut off on if you could bring.

[Dearica Hamby]

A plus one or something.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. So I was old enough.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

But Stewie wasn't. And so I think, like, somebody else on our team brought Martin.

[Dearica Hamby]

This is my partner. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Somebody else on our team is like, well, I'm bringing marta. So that's how MARTA got in.

[Dearica Hamby]

If you had support, there was, like.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, it was a totally different experience. Yeah. I'd imagine being by yourself would have been.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Brutal.

[Sue Bird]

Would have been really hard. So, yeah, for me, it was, like, fine. I mean, I never want to go back to Florida again.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Not that part.

[Sue Bird]

Oh, in the summer.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Was it Braden?

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Brain to Florida. I was like, the weather. I mean, it was nice to have the pool, but then that got weird with the refs always being there. So it was just like, me and.

[Dearica Hamby]

Diamond was just talking about this. She was like, you'd be, like, in the pool, then the refs would be in the pool, and the kids would.

[Sue Bird]

Be playing pool games.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. What? Yeah, it was a lot going.

[Sue Bird]

Diamond, I remember, had a. Had her camera out. She was snapping pictures all the time.

[Dearica Hamby]

We literally just talked about this couple.

[Sue Bird]

That's funny. Okay. But back to the actual, like, basketball. The bubble again. You guys are like, yeah, you finish first. We finished second. Obviously, I'm bicycle.

[Dearica Hamby]

We were predicted to be, like, last.

[Sue Bird]

Really?

[Dearica Hamby]

I think it was, like, eighth or ninth or something like that.

[Sue Bird]

You know what? I'm not surprised. And I bet it was out. KP was out, Liz was out, and. And Kelsey tore her Achilles. So I'm actually not surprised. But, yeah, you guys were. I mean, I don't think you went, like, undefeated, but you're pretty close.

[Dearica Hamby]

I think we lost, like, four.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you're pretty close. You finished first, obviously. We meet you guys in the finals. I know. I know. So this is where I do want to. I always feel like. Because I know I've had seasons like this where I'm like, if so and so didn't get hurt or if XYZ didn't happen, we would have won. And I feel like this is that season for you. Even though I feel like we would have won regardless.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

I don't.

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't know. Y' all might have still.

[Sue Bird]

No, but so for those that don't.

[Dearica Hamby]

Wouldn'T have been a sweep. That's for sure.

[Sue Bird]

We might have got a game fair, and it could have gotten weird.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Could have gone weird if it Wasn't sweep, but. Yeah. So you go into this year, maybe the expectations are whatever, but you finish first. And then you hurt your knee. What was your McLaren?

[Dearica Hamby]

Meniscus.

[Sue Bird]

Meniscus. Okay, so partial terrier. Meniscus. And you can't play in the finals.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Like, are you, like, are you serious?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Are you serious?

[Sue Bird]

This whole bubble season, it's in the middle of a pandemic.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I, at the time, like, I felt. I was just, like, heartbroken for Asia. She just won that mvp, and. And I was just like, you were. I can't be out there to help her. Like, yeah, yeah. It was like, me, her, and Angel McCaughrey.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And Kayla. And so I was just like, damn.

[Sue Bird]

You were a big key to that. Because I feel like you're the way that the Aces were playing that year, still under Bill. You were like the. I don't know, like, the versatility. You bring, the inside outside that you bring, then on defense, you can kind of. That you bring that versatility as well. You were kind of like that. Like, once you got pulled out, it just changed a lot.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. The flow of. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

It's almost like, you know, this happens in basketball. Another player goes down, it might not impact as much, but you were the one. Yeah. Low key. We were like, I mean, never wanting anybody to be injured, but low key. It was like, yeah, this helps a lot. So I did want to acknowledge that. But you win six player again in 2020, and now you're headed into 2021. You're adding Chelsea Gray now. Are you feeling pressure?

[Dearica Hamby]

No.

[Sue Bird]

Still no pressure.

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't know if I've.

[Sue Bird]

If.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I don't know if I've never felt pressure. I mean, maybe that year after, but I was gone, so.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't think.

[Sue Bird]

Did you feel okay? How about this? Did losing in the finals in 2020.

[Dearica Hamby]

Against Phoenix.

[Sue Bird]

No. No. We'll get to that second. I'm saying losing the finals in the bubble. In the bubble, did that motivate. Did that give extra motivation? Because now you do get KP back. You've got Liz back. You've added Chelsea Gray. I mean, there's no pressure.

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't think it was, like, pressure. I think it was just like, we're, like, we're getting closer. Okay. I don't think I. I don't know. Maybe that's just a me thing.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. No. Support for this show comes from Google Pixel. When it comes to upgrading your smartphone, you could settle for the same old, same old, or you could reach for the extraordinary and try a Google Pixel 9 Pro. Pixel 9 Pro comes with Gemini, your built in AI assistant that helps you supercharge your ideas. And now with Gemini Live you can have an actual conversation with Gemini. So the next time you want travel Itinerary Suggestions need help? Phrasing a message? Or you just want to know when the next game is on? You can ask Gemini. It also features Pixel's best camera yet. You know those moments where you want to take a group photo but you can't decide who'll be the photographer? Well, with their Add Me feature you no longer need to worry about that. It's a camera built to capture everyone in beautiful resolution, including the person taking the photo. Meet Pixel 9 Pro with a stunning new design, the advanced AI power of Gemini and their best camera yet. Now we're talking. You can learn more about the new Google Pixel 9 with Gemiini live on the Google Store. Sequences shortened Gemini Live available for ages 18, compatible with certain features and with certain accounts. Results for illustrative purposes and may vary. Check responses for accuracy. Support for Bird's Eye View comes from Etsy as these ladies dominate the game on the court. Stars Cameron Brink, Skyler Diggins, Neko Gumake and Briana Stewart are dominating off the court as well and teaming up with Etsy to show how their style travels. With an exclusive collection from Etsy. These athletes showcase their coveted personal style with the help of Etsy sellers. By blending self expression with craftsmanship, this collaboration is more than a drop. It's a celebration of the shared spirit of grit, originality and heart that drives both athletes and makers to create something truly special. The four piece Icon collection includes a two piece clothing set by Skylar Diggins and Etsy seller Mary Lowe of by Mary Lo Metal statement earrings by Neko Gumuke and Etsy seller Deja Sparks of Deja Sparks Jewelry, a New York City inspired charm necklace by Briana Stewart and Etsy seller Hadley Staub of From Hadley and Press On Nails by Cameron Brink and Etsy seller Hayley Tripp of Bling It On Nails. Plus each athlete has also curated a selection of more style finds on Etsy, offering a deeper look into their off court aesthetics and creative inspirations. Shop the full collection and curated edits [e-mail] the Icon Collection support for this.

[Kelsey Plum]

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[Sue Bird]

But, yeah, do you want to take it to the 2021 semis? Because that. That felt. That felt outside looking in, like, gut wrenching.

[Dearica Hamby]

It was gut wrenching, yeah. Because we also, like, I think we played. We swept Chicago maybe that year.

[Sue Bird]

I. You are the. You are the heavy favorite. I think what I remember about 2021 is it was one of those seasons, Honestly, this season has a little bit. The 2025 season outside of, you know, Minnesota and New York, even Phoenix, a little bit.

[Dearica Hamby]

Kind of like anybody.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, it feels like 2021 was anybody. Yeah, except you guys separated yourselves a little bit. I think it was also like the size you had. Yeah, it's really hard to combat that size. And you came against the one team that also had size with Phoenix, but.

[Dearica Hamby]

It wasn't even the size that hurt us.

[Sue Bird]

I know, but. But she could, like, counteract. Oh, what about it?

[Dearica Hamby]

No, she'll. She. She's. She's still pissed.

[Sue Bird]

Why is KP still pissed?

[Dearica Hamby]

She'll tell you.

[Sue Bird]

Okay, that's great. I'll put it in the notes. Okay, I get it. 2021, the semis was tough. Hard to lose, for sure. And I do. I agree with you in that you probably. Chicago, they had some destiny with, like, Candace's storyline, but it would. I think you guys would have had the advantage in that. So it has to be tough. And now we finally get to 2022, where it's like after all of these kind of like, you know, devastating playoff losses, you now have this core group that's really been together for a while now, and it finally. Finally clicks and you win it. What was that like?

[Dearica Hamby]

It was special, you know, and obviously, for me, I was pregnant at the time, but the buildup, like you said, had already been, like, being anticipated. And we'd been in the finals, been the semis, but been semis. So I think, like I said, it was kind of one of those things where I felt like we were Going to win it that year regardless. We had a very, like, special team. I think we had seven players averaging double figures. I don't know.

[Sue Bird]

No, you guys are tough.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. So, yeah. And I mean, I think just the situation that I was in at the time just made it a little bit more special for me. But obviously, you know, Asia getting one, Jackie getting one, Kpop. It meant a lot.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. How would you describe Chelsea Gray's playoff performance?

[Dearica Hamby]

Oh, it was crazy. But another thing, like, adversity, like, she was. She wasn't an All Star. And you could have argued. All five of us could have been All Stars that year. And so I think it was just one of those things where it was like, this one meant more. And that's kind of the same feeling that, like, I'm having. Post All Star snub.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. No, it matters.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

I feel like a lot of players have that story. You need. Honestly, I don't care who you are. I don't care where you started, where you are, the success, that. Whatever. Everybody needs a little bit of that.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, no, it definitely needs to be.

[Sue Bird]

You need someone to, like, pour a little gas on some things. So when did you find out you were pregnant that season?

[Dearica Hamby]

I found out. We were on the road coming back from Connecticut, and I flew to LA because we had, like, a couple days or a day off. And. Yeah, I took a pregnancy test, and it was like, a couple weeks after All Star. And it's like, I'm so crazy. They gave out those bracelets that year that said, what are the little charms? What are they called? The little project.

[Sue Bird]

The little project, yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. And they gave out bracelets, said wnba, it said All Star, it had your name, and then it said Legend.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And not knowing. Maybe not like intentionally knowing, but I was sitting next to kp, and I was like, I'm gonna name my next.

[Sue Bird]

Kid Legend, and you don't even know you're pregnant.

[Dearica Hamby]

Didn't even know I was pregnant. Yeah. And so I think, like, you know, it was one of those things. It was kind of like. It was, like, meant to be. So, yeah, I go on to name him Legend.

[Sue Bird]

Wow.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I think it's just kind of like he's like a reflection of kind of like, the moment.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

No, it definitely marks a time in your life, you know, you now have. You're about to have your second child. It's the. You've just won a WNBA championship, you're pregnant with your second child, and then in that off season, you get word that you're Going to be traded to la. So very quickly, this is an ongoing situation, but it's already been covered. You've been really open about it, like, literally from the jump. So I'm not going to spend too much time. And like I said, I know it's ongoing, but for those that don't know, Derek has filed a federal lawsuit against the Aces and the wnba, although the WNBA has since been dropped regarding her treatment while you were in Vegas after revealing you were pregnant. So just how are you feeling about it right now?

[Dearica Hamby]

Still confident, still moving forward? You know, it's bigger than me. And so I feel like it's, you know, I hadn't never really figured out my purpose. And you find out your purpose by, I think, something that really fucking pisses you off. And, you know, I want to want it to be better for the next. Like, the ladies that are coming after that want to, you know, start their families and stuff. So just leading the way.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you're doing that. How quickly were you able to move from, like. Like, move on mentally from, like, Vegas days? You're like, and now I'm a spark.

[Dearica Hamby]

Mentally or just, like, physically? Physically, Physically, pretty fast. Yeah. No, mentally, I would say. Honestly, it was after I filed the lawsuit, I was kind of like, you.

[Sue Bird]

Could, like, close the chapter.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. And obviously it's still going on and it's not fully closed, but I think mentally it was like, I know I'm doing the right thing. And, like, the burden, it was, like, lifted off, like, a little bit. So obviously I dealt with a lot emotionally after that and going back and being booed and those sort of things, But I know I'm doing the right thing, so.

[Sue Bird]

And now you have two kids, and.

[Dearica Hamby]

I have two kids.

[Sue Bird]

So in this moment, right, Legends like a baby. Like, what are you already learning the difference between one and two?

[Dearica Hamby]

See, when I say I don't like talking about this because I feel like I've been. I've been very, very, like, blessed, like, with my kids and their temperament. And they're like, Maya is so emotionally mature and, you know, she understands, like, this life. So I don't know. They've made it. They've made it easy to like. Or easier, I should say, to do what I'm doing and to be successful at it and to be confident and to, like. To do what I'm doing right now.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. So how would you describe your ability to juggle both, like, to juggle being a mom and being a professional athlete?

[Dearica Hamby]

I mean, I think. And I had a conversation with Bill Laimbeer, like, when I first. When he first got there. And that was kind of one of the things, because I was on my phone at halftime checking on my kids, and he was like, you need to pick. And I think it's gotten me in trouble at times, or. I wouldn't say trouble, but maybe I'm not where people, like, after they've seen, you know, like. Like spots of, like, bright spots in my career where I could be or where. Because he would tell me all the time, like, what's stopping you from being Stewie? Or, like. And for me, life is bigger than basketball. And so my kids, when I'm done playing, they're gonna still be there.

[Sue Bird]

They're.

[Dearica Hamby]

Gonna. So they come first. And I think that is always, like, at the forefront of, like, who I am and what I am and, like, how I handle my kids, how I handle my friends, how I handle my family. Always comes first. And I think, yeah, like, sometimes, like, well, could you be further if you just focused on basketball? And I just. I'm never gonna be, like, that person or player.

[Sue Bird]

So I would argue. I hear. I hear that point. And change. Some people, it's something.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

And I think some people do. What works for some athletes is to be just, like, 100% in, and they can't have any, you know, quote, unquote, distraction.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

But I might argue that your ability, having to do this early in your life, having to do it often in your life and, like, handling. We'll just call it adversity, not the kids are adversity, but it's like, it's part of your life. I would argue that the balance that that provides you actually allows you to be who you are on the court right now, or else how would you have gotten over some of this adversity?

[Dearica Hamby]

I agree.

[Sue Bird]

You have practice in it, in a sense.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. And when people talk to me, they always talk about how joyful I am and how joyful my kids are.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, your perspective's different.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, my perspective is way different.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. And it's also part of your legacy. Right. Like, you're one of very few. There are moms in the league, of course, and there have been moms, but you're one of very few that have come back. You might be the only one. Are you the only one to come back twice, Skyler? Oh, yeah. Skyler.

[Dearica Hamby]

And then at the time, I didn't know that because she. She announced, like, shortly after.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. Yeah. So you guys are at the same time.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, at the same time. And then Cheyenne, Parker, Now. So she's coming back.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. Yeah. So you're on a very short list of players that have come back from having two kids while playing, and that's part of your legacy, and that's special. So Legend was born March of 2023. Was getting back on the court. We already talked about a little bit earlier. Was it different this time?

[Dearica Hamby]

It was. It was easier, but I also didn't.

[Sue Bird]

It was easier.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

You're crazy. Well, like, I need to see your mom's genetics.

[Dearica Hamby]

You think I'm crazy, too, because I wasn't intent. I was going to just rest and come back after All Star.

[Sue Bird]

By the way, it's crazy that you've been able to come back so easy. Not. You're crazy.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

No, just want to.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I was. That was postpartum. I was kind of like, I'm just going to chill and just give myself the six weeks. And I was kind of like, they sent me some bands and I was kind of like, doing some clamshells here and there, like, laying on and breastfeeding them. Clamshells. And, yeah, I had no intention, just with everything collectively that was going on, to come back until after All Star. Okay. And then I had a moment where I was like, you know what? I'm going to go back and play. And literally, I called Karen Bryant at the time and I said, I'm coming back to play. Like. And I think camp was in five days. She was like, okay. Like, okay. So I get to la and I'm working out the next day, and I'm literally maybe six weeks, like, postpartum.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And they're like, we're gonna ease you in. We're ease you in. So I was like, okay. Okay. So I do, like, stretching and stuff the first day, and then I'm practicing by the end of the day. Of course. Of course. And I was like. It was like, okay, just five minutes, like a little up and down. And I was like, nope, I'm going to keep going. I'm going to keep going. And so, I don't know. I think being not forced, but having, like, having something to push myself to do allowed me to come back a lot quicker.

[Sue Bird]

And, yeah, I imagine the motivation was there.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I think at the time, like, I mean, I had a decent season, wasn't, like, my best, but I think it was.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you're getting back into it.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. It was like, I wanted to prove to myself and then obviously the situation that I could do it. And I played in all 40 games. I remember One game, I sprained my ankle, and I didn't care. Like, I taped it up the next game, and I was like, I'm playing, so.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, that's impressive. It's very impressive.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. I always wonder, though, like, because obviously, going into, like, a new system and, like. Yeah, just, like everything I do wonder, had I, like, been in Vegas still, like, what it would have been like just to run up and down the floor and get layups from Chelsea Gray, you know, I think I still could have had a really productive season.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

No, I mean, the Vegas team, you know, in 2022, I mean, and then, of course, they win again in 2023. It was a special roster.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. I had. When I had Jackie Young on, I was like, you guys could arguably be. Of course, there's Asia, who's, like, the MVP and the center point, the focal point, but that's, like, arguably one of the best backcourts ever.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

And then, you know, so to not be able to kind of go from that to now you're on the Sparks, which you did get to play with Neca for a year. So I'm curious, like, what, if anything, you got to learn from her.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Just a pro. And just, like, you talk about being a good person and, like, leading with that, and to have her and Shanae in my, like, realm really got. Really got me. This gonna make me cry. Really got me through. And I don't. I mean, they. I've told them I'm grateful for them, but I think they don't. So if you're watching this, I'm truly, like, I'm grateful for them.

[Sue Bird]

What'd they do for you?

[Dearica Hamby]

They just were there for me, and, like, the stuff I was, like, dealing with, like, it didn't. They didn't. Like, they didn't care. So to say it was still just showing up every. I still showed up every day, but they helped me show up every day.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Yeah. That's amazing. You always need that support. Do you need a tissue?

[Dearica Hamby]

No. Unless my makeup starts running. Okay.

[Sue Bird]

I'll let you know. Okay. So you are. And this is a compliment, getting older in the league.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

It's not a bad thing.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

I promise to say, especially for me, it's a very good thing, actually. When you think about your play on the court, what are things that you're, like, continuing to work on, Things you want to continue to work on.

[Dearica Hamby]

So each season. Well, since the trade, like, I've had. I have a vision board for each season, and last year's vision board was I wanted to average like 17 and 10. I wanted to make the playoffs. I wanted to be an Olympian 3x3. I wanted to. There's just like a bunch of like smaller goals on there and I put it on like road on a basketball, this one. And I have a vision board also, but I put it on a basketball and I kind of had this basketball like everywhere with me at the time. And I accomplished. When you look at it, I was like, I wanted an MVP vote. I wanted to be most improved. And so if you would have looked at the ball like just like not knowing, you'd have been like, yeah, whatever. And so, I don't know, I'm just a big believer in putting it out there and it can happen. And so this season, similar, very similar goals. I wanted to average the same numbers but be more efficient. I want, I put us to be top four. We're working on that. But I wanted to be like a better defender. I wanted to be all wnba. So yeah, just some like smaller goals. And will we get all of that this year? I don't know. But I think that we're building something super special. And I was telling our gm, I was like, this honestly feels like right now we're on a four game winning streak. But even prior to that it's felt like that 2022, like ACEs. And as far as like the depth we have, like we have a lot, like offensively we are very strong and like very talented and we're figuring out our defense. But I'm really bought into like what we're doing here and like this organization and franchise and so I really believe that we're going to be special.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. What? Like, I'm curious, what. So you have this ball, you have this vision board. Then what are you doing? Like, what's your actionable? Like when you work out, are you adding to your game? Are you like, I need to be?

[Dearica Hamby]

Depends who you ask.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

No, I think I'm just a believer in like just doing the right thing and doing it the right way.

[Sue Bird]

And so is it fair to say, like you feel like your game is pretty complete and it's just about like getting more efficient in what you're already doing?

[Dearica Hamby]

I would say. I mean, I definitely need to be a better free throw shooter. I don't know what it is. I mean, I think I know what it is, but I do not shoot free throws well. And I think I keep telling myself that, like, yeah, exactly.

[Sue Bird]

That's the thing.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I get up there and I'm like, Fuck. Here we go.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And then I'm like, break, break, break.

[Sue Bird]

You got to find the place where you're excited to shoot them.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

And so you got to get to excited.

[Dearica Hamby]

I've changed, like, the way I shoot it to, like, eliminate the anxiety or try to. And it works at times. And it doesn't matter. Like you said, it's really mental. Yeah. But one of my goals this year is to be 50, 40, 90, and I don't think I'm gonna get that this year. Exactly. So let me look at your.

[Sue Bird]

What's your threes?

[Dearica Hamby]

I don't shoot enough.

[Sue Bird]

Okay.

[Dearica Hamby]

But I'm shooting a shit ton in.

[Sue Bird]

The paint, so your shooting percentage is nuts.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

I already have, like, a whole section on that.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. So. But I think just the intention of, like, me saying 50, 40, 90, I'm getting to the free throw line, probably, like, a career high, and so I'm leaving three to four points.

[Sue Bird]

You get there. You are. You get there six times, and I'm. You're shooting 58%.

[Dearica Hamby]

Okay, you didn't have this.

[Sue Bird]

Listen, you brought it up. I wasn't gonna bring it up. From three.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Now I'm shooting three or lower. Low.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you're shooting pretty low. Yeah. From three. It's only 27. But you shouldn't. 60 from the field.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

That's crazy.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. Like, in the pain. It's like an insane number.

[Sue Bird]

50, 40, 90 for you is not.

[Dearica Hamby]

That's it, so. But it's a. It's a goal. And like I said, maybe I don't reach it this year.

[Sue Bird]

Right. But it's attainable.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, it's attainable. And me Even saying shoot 90%, I feel like I'm more intentional about absorbing contact and getting. Getting to the line. So leaving. I mean, I don't know if we win games with three or four extra like, those games in the beginning of the season, but I definitely think they could be momentum changers and just more confidence. I mean, that's at least three to four points on the board, a game that I'm leaving out there, so that sucks.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. No, I know. I mean, so you guys, you already mentioned you've had your ups and downs this year, adjusting to a new roster, new coach, all of it. You're currently in 10th as we record this.

[Dearica Hamby]

Barely.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. But then at the same time, you're 10 and 14. You're a game and a half behind the final playoff spot.

[Dearica Hamby]

Exactly.

[Sue Bird]

So it's like. And you just had two big wins over D.C. who's like, kind of. They're in the eighth spot right now. And you're going to get Cam back soon.

[Dearica Hamby]

Going to get Cam back and our schedule's going to not get easier because every game is hard. But we've had the toughest schedule based on record based. Yeah, it'll get. We've played Minnesota four times. Like we played Phoenix two or three times. So getting some of the harder games out the way in the front end, which weren't all like, we weren't getting blown out. So I think we've shown. And so I know, I think a lot of those games we were having the lead going into the fourth quarter and we just didn't know how to win. Kind of similar like that ASUS team. So just learning how to win and I think we figured out like, how to do it and play through adversity and figure out how to get people going and just, you know, coach had an idea and a system when she got here and like, we still have that, like, same belief, but we've tweaked it a bit and, you know, put. I mean, I'm more in a pick and roll. I'm more like in space on the block and there's just more space for everybody. So I think we've truly figured that out. And when we play good offense, we have good defense.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Okay, so I'm going to focus on you for a second. So this season you're currently averaging career highs, like 17 and a half points, three and a half assists, almost two steals. Those are career highs. And then you, you, you still averaging still. You're also averaging eight rebounds. Yeah, 7.9, whatever. But over the last four games, you guys are four. Now, you already mentioned this. You're averaging 22 points, nine and a half rebounds, and you're shooting 66.6%.

[Dearica Hamby]

It's given player of the month, right?

[Sue Bird]

So, yeah, it is. It's very much giving player of the month. So what do you think is clicking for you? Is it just like time together and chemistry or something happening?

[Dearica Hamby]

I think time, chemistry and like I said, like my confidence, like, okay, well, I. You just kind of see the percentages like rise over like.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, you shot like 80% last, last night.

[Dearica Hamby]

Huh?

[Sue Bird]

I think you shot literally like 70%.

[Dearica Hamby]

Last night and like in 4 from 11. That sucks. But yeah, just finishing and I mean, I've always been a good finisher at the rim, but I think just the spacing and just the versatility that we have on this team has opened the lane up a lot. So it's like just wide open layups.

[Sue Bird]

Well, you bring up the versatility and I definitely want to get to Plum too. Between you Rekiya and then you add Cam back.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Like, how do you see. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, my God. Azari, how do you. How do you see that playing out between the four of you guys?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. I mean, as far as what? Like, just.

[Sue Bird]

Just like. I don't mean like minutes and rolls. I just more mean. Like you now have this team that has all this size, all this versatility.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. And we've, like, we have figured out defensively, like, what works for us. And so which begin the season was like we were trying different things, trying to figure out. And two, we needed to capitalize off our versatility. So I think we've kind of figured it out. And then adding Cam and having her in the paint is going to just like, I think be a really big. I'm just really excited for her. You know, she's. She's had a, like a mentally, like, draining year coming back from acl, but I just want her to know, like, there's. There's no pressure for her to. We need her just to be herself and. Yeah. Just be herself.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. And how does, like, reuniting with Plum fit into all of this?

[Dearica Hamby]

Just, like, getting to play with her. Yeah, I know it's different for her, but just a full circle moment. And I don't know, I think I've said it before. Maybe she has, but, like, we hadn't spoken and then we talked and it was like, I'm coming to la. And it was like, oh, I'm getting my best friend back. Like, hey, how you doing? Like, what's been up? And so it was just, I think one of those things.

[Sue Bird]

Was that hard not talking to her?

[Dearica Hamby]

Oh, absolutely. Not being able to. Yeah, yeah, no, for sure. But we've been a lot of therapy, I would say, and we've had a lot of hard conversations and I think she's meant to be where she's supposed to be, and I think it's one of those things. Even before the trade, we always just kind of knew we would, like, be together, like end up together, like as teammates, because that sounded. But as teammates. And so it was just kind of one of those things. Like, I've. I've known it was going to happen, like, in my heart. And so at the time it was kind of like a matter of where. But I have a home in LA and like, she has a home there now too, so. What, home as in, like family?

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What, what growth have you seen in Plum? Because you saw her as a rookie.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

You saw, obviously saw her become. Yeah, like she was kind of a six man off the bench for a while there.

[Dearica Hamby]

She doesn't like.

[Sue Bird]

I know, I know, I know. She's the one, the first. When she got Most Improved, she was like that.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So I don't want that trophy she.

[Dearica Hamby]

Got the sixth woman. She was. I don't.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, maybe it was that too. And I was like, yeah, maybe it was six.

[Dearica Hamby]

Don't do that.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah, no, she makes it known. She makes it known, but then she becomes a starter. So you've kind of seen her through all this and now what I'd imagine is, you know, for the first time in the wnba, it's like she's one of the main. Like, this is her team. I would say this is like both of your teams, you know, and so what have you seen, like, at each stage and what are you seeing in her now?

[Dearica Hamby]

I would say, like, at first, just like the innocence of like being in the league. And then, I mean, I could talk, I guess mostly about the last, like three to four years, I would say, having like, her come to la. She talks about this like she feels like she has, like, more humility. And, you know, I think the last two or three years for both of us has been like, really hard and like a wake up call in a sense of like, anything can happen to anybody. And that's translated to her. I think even just coming to LA to begin with was like a moment of like. I'm sure it looked crazy, like, why do you want to be in la? Why do you want to leave Vegas and go to la? They stink and there's no facilities and all these things. But I think it's just a testament to our friendship and our bond and the belief that she has in me and the belief that I have in her. And so I know in order for us to get la. Well, at the time, like me to get LA back to where I know it belongs is we needed a player like that. So I've been in every role possible, like in this league. And so me sacrificing that, like, that wasn't a problem for me and for any, like, even to, you know, I tell Reki all the time, like, we need you to be this and be that in order for us to be good. And so I'm willing. And I think that's where the trend upward has kind of happened for this season for me personally is cause in the Beginning. I was trying to figure out how to, like, include everybody, because at the end of the day, we're gonna need everybody.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. It's hard.

[Dearica Hamby]

You want to, so. And I think it kind of. Once we were trying to figure that out, they kind of came to me and was like, we need you to dominate. And I was like, okay. Like, okay. So just trying to find a balance. And she's been. We have. We talk about it all the time. Like, we can get on. Like, we've had a few incidents on the court. We're, like, cussing each other out and then.

[Sue Bird]

Which is normal.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. We get on the. Like, before every game, we tell each other we love each other and we hold, like, hold hands a little bit. And so. Yeah, that's not. I think that's growth. Even though we were good friends, but, like, in the past, she's a. She's a firecracker. It might not look like how it does now.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

No. I feel like the LA Sparks this year and probably beyond. You know, you guys do have a lot of talent, but the identity and, like, how you're gonna win games and win the tough games you talked about earlier and talked about just now, like, you've been in all the games. You just need to learn how to win. That's probably gonna come from you, too.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. And then it's not that everybody else isn't. Isn't playing, you know, their part.

[Dearica Hamby]

Can we talk about, like, she's more of like the, like, Ra Ra Ra. And I'm like, the. I got you guys. Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

You're the mom.

[Dearica Hamby]

I'm the mom.

[Sue Bird]

Shocker.

[Dearica Hamby]

But she saw. She's has softened up a lot. And, you know, she. She tells me all the time, like, about, like, patience, but she's learning a lot of patience also and is showing. And she's getting better each game also. And learning how to get her teammates involved and kind of play this dual point guard shooting. Our role.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Which is hard.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah. While also, you know, some games she is, like, less involved. Like, maybe on shooting, but, like, the rest of us are involved. And so she's learning, like, when to take over. Like in Con last game, like, she knew, okay, I gotta take over. Right. And so just helping her find a balance of, like, when to do that.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. Yeah. I think what's really rewarding when you're in a position that. That you guys are in, which is. I kind of just said it right. Like, you're kind of the two focal points. You're the vets. You've been there, you've won. So you understand, you have the experience. You have this young, talented roster around you. It's gonna be like a simultaneous. Like, you have to play well in order for the team to win, but simultaneously, you're helping these younger players be the best versions of themselves. And in a year, two years, whatever it is, when Rekia Cam, like, even Azeray, who's been in the league for a little bit now, but still, like, pretty young, when they start to. Yep. When they start to. To shine in other ways, you're gonna have played a role in that. And that's when it's like, when you're doing both, that becomes really special and really memorable.

[Dearica Hamby]

Okay, question for you. When you were. Because I think about this, like, I don't want to. I'm not going to say I have only, like, four good years left, but I think about, like, do. Were you big about, like, I want to be, like, I want to finish at the top, or were you kind of like, I'll go into a role of like. Like, I think about, like, will I go into, like, a Udan Haslam role or, like, just be, like, the 12th man? But, like.

[Sue Bird]

So I think I was really lucky in that I'm a point guard. And so in the prime of my career, I was never, like, the main scorer on any of the teams, but I'm scoring more. I'm more of a focal point offensively. But as I got older, I could just kind of naturally evolve into less scoring, but still have a lot of impact in this point guard leadership role. So I'm really lucky. My position lends to that. I don't have to score a point to be impactful, but you have to, like, accept that.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

And you have to embrace that. And I think I also got lucky in that, like, the storm, we kind of went, like, through a rebuild before getting. As we were getting Jewel. And then Stewie and I did sign up for it. I did. I was like, all right, I'm in. I didn't. You know, I could have left. I could have tried to win a championship somewhere else. And I really had to ask myself that question, like, do you ever want to play in the playoffs again?

[Dearica Hamby]

And I was like, that's how I, like, feel. Felt so to say.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. And I was just like, I think I'd rather finish in Seattle with these two. And then it worked out, so I got really lucky. But, yeah, towards the, you know, we went in 2018, and then I retired in 2022. And in those four years, like. Yeah, I definitely had to change, like, how I played and shooting less.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Which is hard.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Because you have to. You still have to be efficient, but you're getting a lot less.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So it's. It's like. It's more mental than physical. But I do think you have to, like, be open to it. And I think to really answer your question, what I would say is it's equally as rewarding.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

Is it amazing being, like, you know, whatever. I'm gonna be dramatic. Like, WNBA first team and winning a championship. Yeah. It's fucking amazing. It's equally as rewarding. It's just different to know that you played. You're, like, behind the scenes or, like, your fingerprints are on it in a totally different way that won't show up in the box score.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

So something to remember.

[Dearica Hamby]

Thank you.

[Sue Bird]

Okay. You've been quoted as saying, no, it's not bad. To this day, I still can't believe I'm a pro because I came to the game so late, so to, like, wrap this up.

[Dearica Hamby]

When did I say that? I don't know.

[Sue Bird]

Twitter? No, it was some article you did.

[Dearica Hamby]

Okay.

[Sue Bird]

Is it not true?

[Dearica Hamby]

No, it's true. Okay. I just was curious.

[Sue Bird]

I forget sometimes, so I'm just curious. Like, speaking to, like, your mindset, your resilience, like, do you think or how do you think coming into the game late, like, really shaped you and has it propelled you to this point?

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah, I think just speaking about the perspective thing, I think me having. And not to say that having basketball be all your identity is. Is a bad thing, because obviously, in order to be super great, you almost kind of have to, like, you see it on the men's side also. But I think my ability just to not take it so serious and to, like, be able to relax and to. After a bad game, like, I still have to go cuddle my kids. Like, they don't care that mommy Maya's starting to be, like, a little sad if we lose and stuff, but she doesn't care. She wants to play Roblox, and she wants to cuddle me. So I think my ability to have, like, identity outside of basketball has helped me be great.

[Sue Bird]

And do you think that you, like, what do you think it is about your ability to handle adversity and this resilience? Is this, like, something you honed after each challenge or, like, I think just.

[Dearica Hamby]

Washing my message is who I am. I'm a person that's always been super patient. Grace is my gift, but also, like, my curse. But just watch My mom, she's a single mom with three kids and so she busted her ass and, you know, did a really good job of raising us. And I just watched her and like I said, we were close. Like she had me at 17.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And so I was with her everywhere. Like I watched her work and hawk those bull peanuts.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah.

[Dearica Hamby]

And I hawked them with her, you know, and so. And still super close. You know, she's very involved, like in my life, my kids life, like day to day. She's probably on the way up here as we speak. So just a credit to her and like who she is and I'm just a reflection of her.

[Sue Bird]

Yeah. Okay. Last but not least, I ask everybody this before we go. You've kind of answered a little bit. When the season's over.

[Dearica Hamby]

Yeah.

[Sue Bird]

When you look back for you personally, what would, what would mean, like, this was a successful season.

[Dearica Hamby]

I mean, I think we're building something special and, you know, we've had to kind of break it down all the way to build it back up. So I think in general this season is a success. You know, we have pieces and like, I'm thinking about the bigger picture and like long term and building something that like the core of this team is going to want to continue to like play for. And so, yeah, I don't like. I think we're gonna bookmark this and I think, you know, in the next two to three years we're competing for a championship. I love it, if not winning one.

[Sue Bird]

There it is, folks. Derica, thank you so much. All right, everybody, hope you enjoyed that conversation with Derica Hamby. I am just so impressed by her. Everything she's been through, injuries, motherhood, her career as a whole. I think there's so much to learn and I'm really excited. She says she only has got a couple years left, but I predict more and I'm really excited to see how they unfold. So that's it for this episode. This was a co production of Together in Vox Media. Our producers are Tommy Alter, Jason Gallagher, Richie Bozek, Harry Krinsky, Jess Clarendon and Melanie Carter. Support for this show comes from Google Pixel. You can make magic happen with Google Pixel. Use it to create amazing photos and videos, get more done and keep your info stick safe. Plus, it comes built in with Gemini, your handy AI assistant made to help supercharge your ideas, making your smartphone a smarter phone. Meet Pixel 9 Pro. A stunning new design, the advanced AI power of Gemini and their best camera yet. You can learn more about the new Google Pixel 9 with Gemini Live on the Google Store. Sequences shortened. Gemini Live available for ages 18, compatible with certain features and with certain accounts. Results for illustrative purposes and may vary. Check responses for accuracy. Thanks to Nike for their partnership Sometimes winning is hard, sometimes it's painful. But Nike knows when you step on the court, it's what you came here to do. From the champions to the underdogs, from the top of their class prospects to the little brothers finally dunking on their older brother in the driveway, we all have the same win. Nike provides the best gear, products and stories to get you from the first quarter to the last, even when you feel like you have nothing left to give. Visit nike.com for more information and be sure to follow Nike on Instagram, TikTok and other social platforms for more great basketball moments.

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