They say moms never stop working, but Cheyenne Parker-Tyus is showing what that phrase really looks like. The WNBA athlete returned to the court just 2 months after giving birth.
The WNBA forward welcomed her second child, baby Yoshua, on July 1. Just two months later, she’s suiting up for the Las Vegas Aces, making her return in a Tuesday night match up against the Chicago Sky.
For the 33-year-old, it wasn’t a decision made lightly. She explained to the Associated Press that she looked into other athletes’ experiences before mapping out her comeback plan. “I did the research to see how quickly people came back. Can it be done? I always have the mindset that I’m built differently.”
What makes her return even more notable is that Cheyenne signed with Las Vegas knowing she would likely miss most, or even all, of the season. The New York native admitted she was nervous when it came time to disclose her pregnancy to the team.
“I was sweating bullets,” she recalled. “I’ve played in this league for a long time and knew I just had to be honest and up front and they appreciated that. I just was so scared and nervous that they would just go ‘we’ll reach out next year or something.’”
Instead of hesitation, the mother-of-two was met with support. Aces coach Becky Hammon said she remembers the call vividly. “I know she was nervous as she broke down in tears. We were all crying. It was actually a pretty cool moment. At the end of the day, bringing a baby into the world that’s amazing. We just said, ‘we’ll wait for you.’ We look at her as a long term piece. It wasn’t just for this year.”
This isn’t Cheyenne’s first time juggling motherhood and professional sports. She gave birth to her daughter Naomi in 2021, and has spoken openly about the challenges of balancing her career with raising kids.
Her decision to push for a 2025 return is especially powerful considering the backdrop of an ongoing lawsuit from former Aces player Dearica Hamby, who alleged pregnancy discrimination. Cheyenne, who is friends with Hamby, said she was bracing for rejection, but instead found an environment ready to back her.
On the eve of her return, she reposted fans’ cheers on Instagram. One message summed it up best, “Big momma back!”
Cheyenne is stepping onto the court not just as an athlete, but as proof of resilience. For her, the comeback isn’t just about basketball, it’s about rewriting the narrative of what mothers in sports can do.
Photo Credit: Cheyenne Parker-Tyus Instagram
