Sparks’ Dearica Hamby sues WNBA, Aces over pregnancy discrimination

Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby sued her former team, the Las Vegas Aces, and the WNBA in federal court on Monday, alleging workplace discrimination and retaliation stemming from her pregnancy.

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Nevada, claims that Aces coach Becky Hammon accused Hamby of signing a contract extension with the team while knowingly pregnant. Hamby said she found out she was pregnant with her second child a month after signing the extension during the 2022 season.

Hamby alleges Hammon said the Aces staff believed she would "get pregnant again for a third time." When Hamby asked Hammon if she was being traded because she was pregnant, Hammon did not deny it, per the lawsuit.

The Aces traded Hamby to the Sparks in January 2023 after she spent eight seasons with the San Antonio/Las Vegas franchise. She was the Sixth Player of the Year Award winner in 2019 and 2020 and an All-Star in 2021 and 2022.

Hamby also accuses the WNBA of not adequately investigating her complaint when she initially brought it to the league office. And after she leveled the complaint, Hamby's marketing contract with the league was not renewed.

"We are aware of today's legal filing and are reviewing the complaint," the WNBA said in a statement to The Athletic.

The Aces have not commented on the suit.

Hammon denied mistreating Hamby at a news conference before the 2023 season, saying that "once I made the phone call that the decision has been made to move her -- you know, that's when everything kind of fell apart."

That year, the WNBA suspended Hammon for two games for violating its "Respect in the Workplace" policies over private comments the coach made about Hamby's pregnancy. The Aces also forfeited their 2025 first-round draft pick due to impermissible benefits offered to Hamby during extension negotiations.

Monday's lawsuit revealed that the Aces allegedly agreed to cover private school tuition for Hamby's elder child in the form of a "donation" to the school.

Hamby, 30, was named to her third career All-Star team this season. She is averaging 19.2 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists -- all career highs -- through 24 games (all starts).

Hamby has put up averages of 10.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists in her 306-game career (128 starts).

--Field Level Media