The WNBA and Las Vegas Aces are denying any wrongdoing against basketball player Dearica Hamby.
According to court records obtained by the Associated Press and Las Vegas Review-Journal, the WNBA and the Aces organization filed separate motions in Nevada District Court to dismiss the lawsuit brought on by the 30-year-old, who accuses her former team of discriminating against her after learning she was pregnant and the league of failing to properly investigate the matter.
The motions submitted to the court on Wednesday, Sept. 11 argue that Hamby’s complaint — which was originally filed on Aug. 12 and asks for undisclosed damages to her reputation and additional income opportunities — failed to “state a claim upon which relief can be granted,” per the Review-Journal.
The filing by the Aces — where Hamby played before being traded to the Los Angeles Sparks — asks the court for a dismissal of all of Hamby’s claims, according to the outlet.
Per the AP, in its motion, the WNBA argues that she is not employed by the league, thus absolving them of responsibility in the matter.
The league also rebuffed Hamby’s claim that they failed to act initially, citing their two-game suspension without pay for coach Becky Hammon and docking the Aces of their first-round 2025 draft pick as repercussions of Hamby’s initial complaint that Hammon, 47, discriminated against her after learning of her pregnancy.
From Left: Aces coach Becky Hammon; and Sparks player Dearica Hamby.
Ethan Miller/Getty, Candice Ward/Getty
Hammon commented on the allegationsduring a postgame press conference on Sunday, Aug. 19, just one week after Hamby filed the allegations of “repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation” against her.
“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,” Hammon sternly told reporters. The Aces head coach claimed that Hamby “still” hadn’t filed an official complaint against Hammon with the league nor the players’ union. “Those are facts,” she said.
Hamby’s lawsuit alleges that her relationship with the organization began to decline after she announced her pregnancy during the team’s championship parade in 2022, according to The Athletic, and that the organization traded her to the Sparks as a result of her pregnancy.
Her lawyers claim that Hamby was “exiled” by the Aces “for becoming pregnant.”
This season, Hamby is a leading candidate for most improved player, averaging 16.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game for Los Angeles.
