Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby has filed a federal lawsuit against the Las Vegas Aces, accusing the team of intimidation, discrimination, and harassment related to her pregnancy. Hamby claims that these issues arose after she was traded from the Aces to the Sparks in January 2023.
Hamby announced her pregnancy after helping the Aces win the WNBA championship in September 2022. According to her lawsuit, the Aces mistreated her because of her pregnancy. Hamby’s attorneys argue that federal laws are designed to protect pregnant women from discrimination at work, and they believe the Aces’ actions were unjust.
In her statement, Hamby mentioned that she was unfairly criticized and manipulated by the Aces. She said she was labeled as a “question mark” regarding her commitment to the team and was told that her pregnancy raised concerns about her future performance. The team allegedly claimed that she wouldn’t be ready to play and needed to be traded to make room for other players.
Hamby also accused the Aces of circumventing salary cap rules by offering unofficial incentives, which allowed them to sign star forward Candace Parker to a lucrative contract in 2023.
In response to Hamby’s complaint, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) launched an investigation, and the WNBA also conducted its own inquiry. The league’s investigation found that the Aces had breached rules regarding player benefits and workplace policies. As a result, head coach Becky Hammon was suspended for two games for her comments about Hamby’s pregnancy, and the Aces lost their 2025 first-round draft pick due to the improper benefits offered.
The Aces expressed disappointment with the WNBA’s findings and supported Coach Hammon. However, Hamby felt that the investigation did not adequately address her concerns or provide a fair resolution. Now, Hamby is seeking damages through her federal lawsuit, believing that the previous investigation did not fully uncover the truth or provide justice for her claims.
What did Becky Hammon say about Dearica Hamby?
During the WNBA’s investigation into her claims, Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon strongly denied any wrongdoing. In a press conference on May 17, 2023, Hammon stated that she had treated Dearica Hamby with care from the moment she informed the team about her pregnancy. Hammon dismissed the allegations as “completely false” and insisted that there had been no negative communications between her and Hamby. She emphasized that any claims to the contrary were inaccurate and not reflective of how the organization conducts its business.
Hamby’s lawsuit continues to support her claims about Hammon’s comments and actions concerning her pregnancy. As of August 12, 2024, Hammon had not publicly addressed the federal lawsuit Hamby filed against the Aces.
In a related development, Hamby returned to Las Vegas for the first time since filing the lawsuit, and Aces fans showed their displeasure. Throughout the game, Hamby was met with boos from the crowd, which grew louder as the game progressed. Despite the negative reception and the Sparks’ defeat, Hamby had a notable performance, scoring 13 points on 4-of-12 shooting and grabbing 11 rebounds. She is continuing to impress with her performance this season, averaging a double-double for the Sparks.
