WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby is taking legal action against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces, alleging "repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation" leading up to and after she was traded while pregnant.
**Paragraph 1:** Los Angeles Sparks star Dearica Hamby has filed a lawsuit against the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Las Vegas Aces, the team she spent the majority of her professional career with. Hamby alleges that she faced "repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation" by the Aces organization and the WNBA, which culminated in her trade to the Sparks in 2023 while she was pregnant.
**Paragraph 2:** Hamby's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court of Nevada on Monday, stems from her alleged mistreatment by the Aces organization after she became pregnant in 2022. The 2023 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year claims that the Aces' front office and coaching staff engaged in discriminatory practices that created a hostile work environment for her.
Dearica Hamby Sues WNBA and Las Vegas Aces for Alleged Discrimination
**Paragraph 3:** The Aces organization, which relocated from San Antonio in 2018, launched an internal investigation into Hamby's discrimination claims in 2023. The probe resulted in a two-game suspension for Aces coach Becky Hammon and the forfeiture of a first-round draft pick. However, Hamby's attorneys argue that the WNBA's response to the situation was inadequate.
**Paragraph 4:** "The WNBA is, at its core, a workplace, and federal laws have long shielded pregnant women from discrimination on the job," said Dana Sniegocki, Erin Norgaard, and Artur Davis of HKM Employment Attorneys, the firm representing Hamby. "The world champion Aces exiled Dearica Hamby for becoming pregnant and the WNBA responded with a light tap on the wrist."
Dearica Hamby Sues WNBA and Las Vegas Aces for Alleged Discrimination
**Paragraph 5:** Hamby's lawyers contend that the WNBA's handling of her case sends a chilling message to other potential mothers in the league. "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."
**Paragraph 6:** Hamby is a two-time WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year and was a member of the Aces' 2022 WNBA championship team. Her lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, including back pay and benefits, reinstatement to the Aces, and a change in the WNBA's policies on pregnancy and motherhood.
Dearica Hamby Sues WNBA and Las Vegas Aces for Alleged Discrimination
**Paragraph 7:** The Aces organization declined to comment on the lawsuit, stating that they cannot comment on ongoing litigation. The WNBA has not yet responded to a request for comment.
**Paragraph 8:** Hamby's lawsuit is the latest in a series of high-profile cases involving pregnant athletes facing discrimination in professional sports. In 2022, former Dallas Wings player Glory Johnson filed a lawsuit against the WNBA and the Wings, alleging she was discriminated against after becoming pregnant.
**Paragraph 9:** Hamby's case highlights the ongoing challenges faced by pregnant athletes, who often face a lack of support and protection from their teams and leagues. Her lawsuit could have far-reaching implications for the WNBA and other women's professional sports organizations, forcing them to address the issue of discrimination against pregnant athletes.
**Paragraph 10:** The outcome of Hamby's lawsuit will be closely watched by the sports world and advocates for pregnant athletes. Her case has the potential to set a precedent for how women's professional sports leagues handle pregnancy-related discrimination, ensuring that future generations of athletes are protected from mistreatment based on their reproductive choices.
