Dearica Hamby files discrimination lawsuit against Aces



Myron Medcalf, ESPN Staff WriterOct 4, 2023, 02:34 PM ET

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Joined ESPN.com in 2011
Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

Months after the WNBA investigated her allegations that the Las Vegas Aces had retaliated against her because of her pregnancy, former Aces standout Dearica Hamby has filed a discrimination lawsuit against the team that lists similar allegations.

Per the lawsuit obtained by ESPN and filed last month, Hamby — who now plays for the Los Angeles Sparks — alleges in the legal filing to the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the EEOC that Aces head coach Becky Hammon accused her of signing a two-year extension with the team last year despite knowing she was pregnant. She also alleges that the team “began to retaliate against me and caused the work environment to become unreasonably abusive and hostile” and also encouraged her to avoid getting pregnant “in the next two years.”

Earlier this year, the WNBA investigated Hamby’s claims and announced a two-game suspension for Hammon and the loss of a future draft pick.

In May, Hammon refuted Hamby’s claims and said the franchise, which will face the New York Liberty in the WNBA Finals, traded Hamby to the Sparks because it was best for the team.

“[Hamby’s pregnancy] wasn’t a problem, and it never was why we made the decision,” Hammon said at the time. “We made the decision to move Hamby because we could get three bodies in her one contract, and we wanted to get three more people in. I think it’s very evident [with] who we signed on why we made the move.

“It came down to math in business. That’s all it was. Nothing personal. I had a great relationship with Hamby the whole time. Which is why she probably felt the way she did. You know, it feels like a betrayal. But like I said, it’s a crappy part of my job, but somebody’s got to be the bearer of bad news.”



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