Becky Hammon accused in discrimination suit against Dearica Hamby

In September 2022, Las Vegas Aces forward Dearica Hamby announced during their championship parade that she and her husband are expecting their second child.

In January 2023, Aces head coach Becky Hammon accused Hamby of “not taking the necessary precautions to avoid becoming pregnant.”

In May of the same year, Dearica Hamby was traded from the Aces to the Los Angeles Sparks. According to the former Spurs assistant, this was done to make room for the signing of Candance Parker.

“We decided to move Hamby because we could accommodate three people with her one contract and we wanted to sign three more people. I think the reasons for the move are very obvious with the people we signed.”

But since the trade, the Aces have been under scrutiny for their handling of the situation.

Hamby filed a discrimination lawsuit in federal court against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces, claiming the Aces traded her because of her pregnancy and that the league failed to adequately investigate the incident.

One problem is that Becky Hammon does not deny that the trade had something to do with Hamby's pregnancy.

In May 2023, the WNBA suspended Hammon for two games without pay and stripped the Aces of their 2025 first-round draft pick for “harassing and tampering” with Hamby due to her pregnancy. It was the first time the league had stripped a team of a draft pick.

Hamby felt the league was not treating the Aces harshly enough, which prompted her recent lawsuit.

Hamby's lawyer stated:

“The WNBA is, at its core, a workplace, and federal law has long protected pregnant women from workplace discrimination. The world champion Aces banned Dearica Hamby for getting pregnant, and the WNBA responded with a light slap on the wrist. Every potential mother in the league is now on notice that having a child could change her career prospects overnight. That can't be right in one of America's most successful and dynamic professional women's sports leagues.”

The Aces supported Hammon and stated:

“The WNBA's decisions regarding Becky Hammon run counter to what we know and love about her. Becky is a caring individual who builds close personal relationships with her players. We stand behind Coach Hammon as she continues to lead the Las Vegas Aces.”

There is no information yet on court dates or negotiations, but this story will continue to garner attention as the WNBA moves forward.

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