WNBA Star Dearica Hamby Returned To The Court Just Months After Having Her Second Child

Dearica Hamby returned to the WNBA this season with a new team as a mother of two.

It's new chapters all around for the former Las Vegas Aces star, who was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks after a controversy last season, and in March, gave birth to her second child, son Legend.

She recently opened up about her choice to return to the court so soon after having her son and how she credits her family for that being possible.

After a tough pregnancy and added stress with the league regarding her treatment leading to the decision to be traded, Hamby, 29, returned to the court this season. The season began just 8-weeks after she welcomed her son Legend into the world. The star player credits her "big support system," including her mom and daughter Amaya, 6.

"Between my mom and Amaya, they've been accommodating in letting me return to basketball," she told PEOPLE. "I went back and forth with myself for the longest time about whether I wanted to play this season or wait it out."

She continued to explain that as much as she loves being a mom, she gets bored just sitting around too much.

"I was like, 'There's no way I can sit out a whole season,'" she said. "I haven't missed a season yet, even with both pregnancies."

The mom of two admits she's "just been kind of winging it" when talking about her decision to play this season.

"I called my team four days before training camp and said that I wanted to play, then showed up to camp and got started," she continued.

"I was practicing non-contact in the morning, and by the afternoon, I was in a full-fledged practice. I've been going based on how my body feels."

Hamby told PEOPLE that she nursed her daughter Amaya for nearly a year, but it's been slightly different this time.

"I'm still nursing and doing what I can with my supply. I struggled a little bit more with him, I would say, due to the stress," she revealed.

The new mom also said she's using a Willow pump. "There are a lot of moving parts, so I reached out to Willow after researching brands I wanted to pump with this go around," she explained. "The flexibility these little pumps have allowed me and my life is awesome. To be able to grab and be in the car and be able to pump while I take phone calls is amazing."

Hamby reached out to Willow because she felt their purposes aligned. She also wanted to speak about the PUMP Act, something they were already working on.

The PUMP Act expands on the 2010 Fair Labor Standards Act to protect nursing moms not previously entitled to a break time and private space to pump at work. The act passed in late April will also allow employees to go after financial compensation if their employers aren't complying.

In an Instagram post in late January, Hamby revealed that she was being traded to the Sparks and had dealt with "disgusting comments" made by an unnamed Aces member.

"I gave everything I had, and until the disgusting comments made to me, I fought to stay here and tried to be amicable. Vegas is nothing without you all. I will not forget the good times and the journey to bring Las Vegas a championship," she wrote. "You have helped make me who I am today. I never imagined going out like this, but you have inspired me in more ways than you will know."

She further explained that while she understands that being traded is part of the business, "being lied to, bullied, manipulated, and discriminated against is not."

"I have had my character and work ethic attacked. I was promised things to entice me to sign my contract extension that was not followed through. I was accused of signing my extension knowingly pregnant. That is false," she wrote.

"I was told that I was 'a question mark' and that it was said that I said I would 'get pregnant again,' and there was a concern for my level of commitment to the team."

On March 15, Hamby announced her son's arrival with a video on Instagram captioned, "Legend 👑."

Many of her friends and fans dropped into the comments to leave their support, love, and congratulatory messages.

"omggg his little dimple peeking ♥️ I just melted," one person wrote. Another added, "Welcome to the world, Baby Legend. 💛✨"