Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby filed a federal lawsuit against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces on Monday accusing the two of discriminatory and retaliatory acts.
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Dearica Hamby files lawsuit against Aces and WNBA after allegedly being traded due to pregnancy
Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby filed a federal lawsuit against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces on Monday accusing the two of discriminatory and retaliatory acts
Dearica Hamby filed a federal lawsuit against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces
Dearica Hamby filed a federal lawsuit against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces (Image: Getty Images)
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ByMatthew NeschisUS Sports Reporter
22:47 ET, AUG 12 2024
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Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby has filed a federal lawsuit against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces – alleging repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation in relation to her pregnancy.
On Monday, Hamby registered the lawsuit with the U.S. District Court of Nevada, nearly one year after filing a similar complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In both claims, the 30-year-old accuses the Aces of treating her unjustly while she was pregnant with her second child.
Dana Sniegocki, Erin Norgaard, and Artur Davis of HKM Employment Attorneys wrote the following in a statement: “The WNBA is, at its core, a workplace, and federal laws have long shielded pregnant women from discrimination on the job. 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 September of 2022, Hamby publicly announced her pregnancy while on stage during festivities celebrating the Aces’ first championship. Just several months earlier, she signed a two-year contract extension with Las Vegas.
Then in January of 2023, Las Vegas traded Hamby to the Sparks. Shortly after being dealt, the three-time WNBA All Star issued a lengthy statement on Instagram in which she described the trade as “traumatic,” adding that she didn’t appreciate “being lied to, bullied, manipulated, and discriminated against.”
Following an investigation conducted by the WNBA, Aces coach Becky Hammon was suspended for the opening two games of the 2023 season after she was found guilty of violating the league’s respect in the workplace policies. Las Vegas also lost its 2025 first-round pick in the WNBA Draft for offering “impermissible player benefits” in contract negotiations.
On the heels of the Aces’ punishment, Hamby filed a separate complaint with the EEOC, arguing that the WNBA’s investigation “did not result in any tangible remedy to me. Moreover, I do not believe the investigation sought to uncover the truth about my allegations that I was discriminated against for being pregnant.”
In the most recent lawsuit, Hamby alleges that the Aces started to treat her differently after she revealed her pregnancy to the public. According to the filing, Las Vegas forcibly removed her from housing provided by the team, as well as failed to provide the money needed to pay off her daughter’s private school tuition.
Hamby also claims that the Aces repeatedly accused her of signing a two-year extension while aware of her pregnancy. On more than one occasion, she bluntly asked Hammon over the phone: “You’re trading me because I’m pregnant?” to which the coach allegedly replied: “What do you want me to do?”
