WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby filed a lawsuit Aug. 12 against her former team and the league alleging pregnancy discrimination, wrongful workplace treatment and other alleged transgressions.
According to legal documents obtained by ESPN, Hamby is accusing the defendants, the Las Vegas Aces and the WNBA, of discrimination, retaliation and intimidation after the team learned she was pregnant.
Hamby seeks compensation for economic losses, punitive damages and attorney’s fees.
Hamby accuses the Aces of mistreating her because she was pregnant
“The WNBA is, at its core, a workplace, and federal laws have long shielded pregnant women from discrimination on the job,” Hamby’s legal team said Monday in a statement obtained by ESPN. “The world champion Aces exiled Dearica Hamby for becoming pregnant, and the WNBA responded with a light tap on the wrist. Every potential mother in the league is now on notice that childbirth could change their career prospects overnight. That can’t be right in one of the most prosperous and dynamic women’s professional sports leagues in America.”
In the legal documents, Hamby asserts that the Aces offered services outside of her contract to make it more attractive to stay in Las Vegas. This, she said, included paying tuition for her daughter and providing team-subsidized housing. However, Hamby says that once she told the team she was pregnant, she said the team treated her differently and management rescinded the benefits. In fact, Hamby says she was forced out of the housing she was placed in and she was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks shortly thereafter.
Moreover, during an alleged phone call, Hamby alleges that Aces head coach Becky Hammon began to question “Hamby’s dedication and commitment to the team” and that Hammon “did not deny the accusation that Hamby was being traded because she was pregnant.”
The league and the Aces haven’t responded to Hamby’s lawsuit.
The WNBA investigated Hammon and the Aces and found that the team had provided impermissible benefits to Hamby and that Hammon mistreated Hamby. The league then took away their 2025 first-round pick and suspended Hammon for two games. Hamby said Hammon got off with an extremely light punishment which is why the larger league is also named as a defendant.
Hamby’s suit comes as Aces strive to become a part of history
The announcement of the lawsuit comes as the Aces are attempting to become the first team to win three consecutive WNBA titles since the Houston Comets won four in a row from 1997-2000. The two-time defending champs sent four of its players to the Paris Olympics, with superstar A’ja Wilson leading Team USA to the gold medal win over France in Paris. Wilson was awarded the tournament MVP. She is also the leading candidate for the WNBA’s regular season MVP, which would be her third.
