Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon addressed the recent lawsuit filed by former Aces forward Dearica Hamby, who claims the organization discriminated against her.
Hamby, 30, filed a federal lawsuit Monday, Aug. 12, against the WNBA and the Aces, alleging the team committed “repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation” against her after learning of her pregnancy, and that the league failed to “properly investigate ” Hamby’s complaint, according to ESPN.
After Hammon’s Aces beat the Los Angeles Sparks — Hamby’s current WNBA team — 87-71 on Sunday, Aug. 19, the head coach was asked what she would like the public to know about her “integrity as a coach” and “integrity as a [Aces] organization” amid news of the complaint.
According to the Associated Press, Hammon, 47, bluntly told reporters, “Here are some facts. I’ve been in the WNBA or the NBA for 25 years. I’ve never had a complaint about HR. Never, not once.”
The Aces head coach noted that she “still” hasn’t filed a lawsuit against her “because Dearica hasn’t filed one,” Hammon claimed, according to the AP. “She didn’t file a claim with the players’ union, she didn’t file a claim with the WNBA. Those are the facts.”
Dearica Hamby and Becky Hammon (center) July 10, 2022 Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Aces coach Becky Hammon denies discrimination against pregnant player: ‘Not the way I saw it’
Hammon also disputed allegations made by Hamby’s legal team. “It’s also a fact that no one called her trade until we got the call from Atlanta in January [2023]. That’s a fact,” the head coach said. “It just didn’t happen. Excuse me, bullying? I talked to her every day.”
“If she wanted to work out, she worked out. If she didn’t, she didn’t. Over-care, actually. Over-care,” Hammon concluded.
Hamby claims her relationship with the Aces began to decline after she announced her pregnancy during the team’s parade celebrating their 2022 WNBA championship. The Athleticand that the organization replaced her with Sparks because of her pregnancy.
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“The world champion Aces kicked Dearica Hamby because she became pregnant,” Hamby’s lawyers said in a statement shared with the AP after the lawsuit was filed.
“We are aware of today’s legal filing and are considering an appeal,” a WNBA spokesperson said.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Las Vegas Aces and the WNBA for comment.
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Dearica Hamby takes a shot at Lucy Olsen on July 19, 2024.
Alex Slitz/Getty
WNBA suspends Aces coach Becky Hammon, voids draft pick after complaint from pregnant player
In May 2016, the WNBA suspended Hammon for two games following an internal investigation into Hamby’s complaint.
In a statement, the league said Hammon and the Aces were found guilty of “violating the league’s rules regarding improper benefits to players” and violating the WNBA’s workplace respect rules related to “comments Hammon made to Hamby in regarding Hamby’s recent pregnancies.”
The WNBA’s investigation, which included 33 interviews with people close to the situation and a “review of numerous texts, emails and other documents,” found several individuals with “additional concerns about the Aces’ conduct during the final free agency period,” according to a league statement at the time .
They added: “The Aces did not comply with league rules and regulations and have been disciplined accordingly. We are also discouraged by violations of our workplace respect rules and remain committed to ensuring that enhanced training and standards are implemented across all WNBA teams.”
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