Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby filed a lawsuit against her former team, the Las Vegas Aces, and the WNBA, accusing them of discrimination, retaliation, and intimidation after she announced her pregnancy.
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A lawsuit was filed on Monday, claiming that Hamby’s treatment by the Aces resulted in her trade to the Sparks in January 2023. She also alleges that the league failed to investigate her complaints properly. According to ESPN, Hamby is seeking compensation for economic losses, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees as part of the lawsuit. Additionally, her legal team states that her decision to proceed with litigation followed a Notice Right to Sue from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which was issued at her request. Her attorney said in a statement that the EEOC did not have any findings on the facts, giving the option to allow the lawsuit to proceed.
The WNBA conducted an investigation, including interviews with 33 people and a review of documents such as texts and emails. In May 2023, the league suspended Aces coach Becky Hammon for two games due to a violation of workplace policies. Additionally, the Aces lost their 2025 first-round draft pick as a result of a separate violation related to impermissible player benefits involving Hamby.
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Hamby expressed her dissatisfaction with the WNBA’s handling of the investigation and criticized the league for not interviewing her former teammates. She also felt that the punishment given to Hammon and the Aces was not enough. Hammon and the Aces denied the allegations, stating that the trade was solely motivated by basketball reasons. In May 2023, Hammon addressed the situation and emphasized that Hamby’s pregnancy did not influence the decision to trade her.
Hammon explained that the trade was motivated by the need to maximize the team’s roster potential. It allowed them to sign three players under Hamby’s contract, including WNBA star Candace Parker.