DeHaan was born on June 21, 1988, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the daughter of Tracia and Brandon DeHaan. Her athletic life began with gymnastics in preschool. She also tried ballet, ice skating, swimming, tee ball and volleyball before she ever picked up a basketball in fifth grade. When some parents of AAU players walked into the gym and saw her doing gymnastics, they asked her to join their basketball team, to which DeHaan agreed. She also started playing pickup games in the driveway with her mom, who played basketball at Northwestern University.