Hamby sues WNBA, Aces alleging discrimination

Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby filed a federal lawsuit against the WNBA and her former team, the Las Vegas Aces, on Monday regarding her treatment from the Aces after revealing she was pregnant.

Hamby alleges that she was subject to repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation from the Aces, leading to her January 2023 trade to the Sparks. Hamby also alleges the WNBA failed to "properly investigate" the issue.

Hamby is seeking economic losses, compensatory and punitive damages and attorney's fees, according to the lawsuit.

The WNBA did a months-long investigation that included interviews with 33 people and a review of numerous texts, emails and other documents before handing down a punishment in May 2023. The league gave Aces coach Becky Hammon a two-game suspension for what it deemed "a violation of league and team 'respect in the workplace' policies."

The league at that time also rescinded the Aces' first-round draft pick in 2025 for a different violation, this one regarding impermissible player benefits involving Hamby.

On Tuesday, the club issued a statement, saying "as an organization, we continue to stand behind our statement on May 16, 2023, made at the conclusion of the WNBA's investigation into this matter. Given that this is an ongoing litigation, the Aces will have no further comment at this time."

Hamby was displeased with the WNBA's process and discipline decisions, saying that the league didn't speak with other Aces players as part of the investigation nor did it dispense adequate punishment to the Aces or Hammon.

Hammon and the Aces have strongly denied they discriminated against Hamby, saying the trade was motivated strictly by basketball reasons.

Last September, Hamby filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). On May 23, she received her "Notice of Right to Sue" from the EEOC and had 90 days to file a lawsuit -- which she did Monday.

An attorney for Hamby told ESPN on Monday, "The EEOC issued the [right to sue] document at our client's request because we wanted to move forward with litigation. The EEOC did not make any finding regarding the facts; to permit a full-scale investigation might have entailed another year or two of delay."

A spokesperson for the WNBA told ESPN on Monday, "We are aware of today's legal filing and are reviewing the complaint." The Aces have not yet responded to ESPN's request for a comment.

Hamby was part of the Aces' 2022 WNBA championship team and had been with the organization since being drafted No. 6 in 2015, when the Aces were still located in San Antonio, Texas, and called the Stars. The franchise moved to Las Vegas in 2018.

Hamby re-signed with Las Vegas in June 2022 during the season. In the lawsuit, she said along with the two-year contract extension, the Aces offered her a series of enticements, including use of team-provided housing and an offer to cover the private school tuition costs for Hamby's daughter, Amaya.

In the lawsuit, Hamby said she found out in mid-July that she was pregnant and told Hammon and the Aces in early August. She alleges the Aces were unhappy with her, and that after the 2022 season, the use of team-provided housing was rescinded and her daughter's school tuition was not paid. She also alleges that Hammon asked her if she planned the pregnancy and questioned her dedication to the team, allegations that Hammon has denied.

When Hamby was traded to the Sparks in January 2023, she posted her allegations against the Aces on social media, prompting the WNBA's investigation -- which was also called for by the WNBA players' union.

After the punishments were handed down in May 2023, Hammon addressed the issue with media.

"[Hamby's pregnancy] wasn't a problem and it never was why we made the decision," Hammon said then. "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."

One of the players the Aces signed for in 2023, when they repeated as champions, was longtime WNBA star Candace Parker.

"It came down to math in business. That's all it was. Nothing personal," Hammon said. "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."

Hamby gave birth to her son, Legend, in April 2023 and played all 40 games last season with the Sparks, who did not make the WNBA playoffs.

Now in her second season in Los Angeles, Hamby is averaging 19.2 points and 10.0 rebounds. She was a WNBA All-Star in July and was part of the United States' 3x3 women's basketball bronze medal team in the Paris Olympics. She was the WNBA's Sixth Woman of the Year in 2019 and 2020 while with the Aces.