Meet the Moms of the WNBA

WNBA Moms

Name: Jia Perkins

Team: Chicago Sky

Children: daughter, Aalirah, 6, born June 2004

You should know: According to an article in Chicago Parent, Perkins found out she was pregnant during her senior year at Texas Tech, and she thought having a baby would mean the end of her basketball career. Instead, she was drafted in 2004 by the Charlotte Sting. Now, Perkins is a single mom with a very cool job, and her little girl stays with family when the Sky is on the road.

WNBA Moms

Name: DeMya Walker

Team: Connecticut Sun

Children: daughter, Zachara Catherine, 4, born April 2006

You should know: According to ESPN, Walker gave birth via c-section, and returned to the team some three months later. The 6-foot, 3-inch center reportedly played seven games in a single month before finding out she had been pregnant for 4 ½ months. Walker blogged during her pregnancy. Here's an excerpt: "Well I know you haven't heard from me in a while and that's because I have been so busy!!! I am in my third and final trimester now and I thought it would be fun to let you all enjoy this last part of the ride with me."

WNBA Moms

Name: Taj McWilliams-Franklin

Team: New York Liberty

Children: Michele, 21, Schera, 20, and Maia Simone, 7

You should know: The 39-year-old power forward has been in the WNBA since 1999. According to an ABC News report, McWilliams-Franklin gave birth to her first child before she started college. She married Reggie Franklin, a sergeant in the United States Army, in 2000, according to The New York Times.

WNBA Moms

Name: Candace Parker

Team: Los Angeles Sparks

Children: daughter, Lailaa Nicole Williams, 1, born May 2009

You should know: At 6- foot, 4-inches and 175 pounds, Parker is what they used to call a tall drink of water. She was drafted by the Sparks first overall in 2008, and was named league MVP in her first season. Parker is not the only baller in the family -- husband Shelden Williams plays for the Boston Celtics, and her brother, Anthony Parker, plays for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Their Thanksgiving pick-up games are probably a bit more competitive than the ones played at your house.

WNBA Moms

Name: Tina Thompson

Team: Los Angeles Sparks

Children: son, Dyllan, 5, born May 2005

You should know: Thompson, 35, has been in the league since it began in 1997, when she was selected by the Houston Comets, making her the WNBA's first-ever draft pick. Thompson is one of the league's most highly accomplished players, with four WNBA championships, nine WNBA All-Star appearances, as well as two Olympic Gold medals for the United States Women's Basketball team. After giving birth to her son in May 2005 (father is former NBA player Damon Jones), Thompson was back on the court in July, according to The New York Times, just two months after giving birth. According to her WNBA.com bio, she has a number of game-day superstitions, including wearing lipstick whenever she plays.

WNBA Moms

Name: Vanessa Hayden

Team: Los Angeles Sparks

Children: daughter, Zyon, 2, born June 2007

You should know: Hayden was traded to the Sparks in 2009, after playing five seasons for the Minnesota Lynx, who drafted her seventh overall in 2004. The 6-foot, 4-inch, 240-pound center announced to her fans that she was pregnant in November 2006, by posting a letter on WNBA.com, and she missed the 2007 season to give birth to her daughter. Hayden is married to Brian Johnson, and according to an article on WNBA.com, owns 239 teddy bears and has a fear of flying.

WNBA Moms

Name: Marie Ferdinand-Harris

Team: Los Angeles Sparks

Children: Cedrick Michael Harris, Jr., 3, born June 2006

You should know: The three-time WNBA All-Star plays guard for the Sparks. She is married to Cedrick Harris.

WNBA Moms

Name: Helen Darling

Team: San Antonio Silver Stars

Children: triplets -- sons JaJuan and Jalen, and daughter Neveah, all 8, born April 2002

You should know: In the league since 2000, the 31-year-old is the author of a series of children's books featuring her family. The triplets' father is Orlando Tot, and Darling has said his support is integral to her playing career. "I never had to worry about my babies because he was always there," said Darling of Tot. "He actually did the potty training."

WNBA Moms

Name: Le'Coe Willingham

Team: Seattle Storm

Children: son, Derrick, 9, born in 2000

You should know: According to a story at AZCentral.com, Willingham gave birth to her son after completing her freshman year at Auburn University in 2000. She took a year off from school, graduated in 2004, and joined the WNBA.

WNBA Moms

Name: Kara Braxton

Team: Tulsa Shock

Children: son, Jelani, 5, born January 2005

You should know: In April, 2005, the center and forward was drafted seventh overall, despite having been suspended for "various rules violations" while at the University of Georgia, according to PortlandTribune.com. At 6-feet, 6-inches tall, it's no surprise a team was willing to take a chance on her. Braxton has been suspended twice for driving under the influence of alcohol; once in 2007 for two games, and again in 2009 for six games, according to the Associated Press. Her son's father is Odell Thurman, a former NFL linebacker with the Cincinnati Bengals who was suspended from the league indefinitely in 2008 for multiple violations of the NFL's substance abuse policy, according to an ESPN report.

WNBA Moms