Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon addressed the recent lawsuit filed by former Aces forward Dearica Hamby, who claims that the organization discriminated against her.
Hamby, 30, filed a federal complaint on Monday, Aug. 12 against the WNBA and the Aces, alleging that the team committed “repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation” against her after learning of her pregnancy, and that the league did not “properly investigate” Hamby’s complaint, according to ESPN.
After Hammon’s Aces defeated the Los Angeles Sparks — Hamby’s current WNBA team — 87-71 on Sunday, Aug. 19, the head coach was asked what she’d like the public to know about her “integrity as a coach” and the “integrity of the [Aces] organization” amid news of the complaint.
According to the Associated Press, Hammon, 47, sternly told reporters, “Here are some facts. I’ve been in either the WNBA or NBA for now 25 years. I’ve never had an HR complaint. Never, not once.”
The Aces head coach noted that she “still” hasn’t had a complaint filed against her “because Dearica didn’t file any,” Hammon claimed, per the AP. “She didn’t file with the players’ union, she didn’t file with the WNBA. Those are facts.”
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Hammon also disputed allegations made by Hamby’s legal team. “It’s also factual that nobody made a call about trading her until Atlanta called us in January [2023]. That’s a fact,” the head coach said. “It just didn’t happen. I’m sorry, the bullying? I spoke with her every day.”
“If she wanted to practice, she practiced. If she didn’t, she didn’t. Over-the-top care, actually. Over-the-top care,” Hammon concluded.
Hamby alleges that her relationship with the Aces began to decline after she announced her pregnancy during the team’s parade celebrating their 2022 WNBA championship, according to The Athletic, and that the organization traded her to the Sparks as a result of her pregnancy.
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“The world champion Aces exiled Dearica Hamby for becoming pregnant,” Hamby’s lawyers said in a statement shared with the AP after the complaint was filed.
“We are aware of today’s legal filing and are reviewing the complaint,” a WNBA spokesperson told the outlet.
PEOPLE has reached out to the Las Vegas Aces and the WNBA for comment.
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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 had been found guilty of “violating league rules regarding impermissible player benefits” and had violated the WNBA’s Respect in the Workplace rules in relation “to comments made by Hammon to Hamby in connection with Hamby’s recent pregnancy.”
The WNBA’s investigation, which included 33 interviews with people close to the situation and “a review of numerous texts, emails and other documents,” uncovered several individuals with “additional concerns about the conduct of the Aces during the most recent free agency period,” according to the league’s statement at the time.
They added: “The Aces failed to adhere to league rules and regulations and have been disciplined accordingly. We are also disheartened by the violation of our Respect in the Workplace policies and remain committed to ensuring that enhanced training is conducted and standards are followed across all WNBA teams.”
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