LOS ANGELES — Sparks forward Dearica Hamby filed a lawsuit last week against the WNBA and her former team, the Aces, alleging unfair treatment because of her pregnancy.
The federal suit, which came more than a year after a complaint filed by Hamby resulted in a WNBA investigation and subsequent penalties, alleges ‘‘repeated acts of retaliation, intimidation and discrimination.’’ The suit, which was filed in Nevada, is seeking unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.
Hamby’s allegations against the WNBA concern the league investigation. The suit claims the league ‘‘took no steps to correct or address a clear-cut violation.’’
‘‘I’ve been preparing for it,’’ Hamby told the Sun-Times before the Sparks’ game Saturday against the Sky. ‘‘So I’ve had time to process it all.’’
Hamby went on to share that her support system, which includes friends and family along with her team, has helped reinforce her belief that she’s ‘‘doing the right thing.’’
The WNBA’s collective-bargaining agreement is set to expire in 2027, but if either the league or the players opt out by Nov. 1, it will expire Oct. 31, 2025. Hamby’s suit might end up playing a significant role in changing language in the CBA about pregnancy and maternity leave.
The CBA, which was ratified in 2020, guarantees maternity leave with full pay. It also treats pregnancy similar to an injury, illness or other condition, requiring players to notify a team of their pregnancy before entering into a new contract or accepting any kind of qualifying offer.
According to Hamby’s suit she didn't learn she was pregnant until mid-July. She signed her contract extension with the Aces in June. The suit, however, claims Aces coach Becky Hammon accused Hamby of signing her extension while knowingly pregnant.
The suit also claims that after Hamby made her pregnancy public during the Aces’ championship parade in 2022, she experienced changes in treatment by the team’s staff. Hamby’s suit alleges Hammon told her in January 2023 that she was ‘‘a question mark,’’ and she eventually was traded to the Sparks before last season.
The Aces shared a statement that said: ‘‘As an organization, we continue to stand behind our statement on May 16, 2023, made at the conclusion of the WNBA’s investigation into this matter.’’
The WNBA imposed penalties on the Aces last year after its investigation into Hamby’s initial complaint. They included rescinding the team’s 2025 first-round draft pick and suspending Hammon for two games without pay for ‘‘violating league and team Respect in the Workplace policies.’’
The team’s statement last year defended Hammon.
‘‘The WNBA’s determinations about Becky Hammon are inconsistent with what we know and love about her,’’ the statement read, in part. ‘‘Becky is a caring human being who forges close personal relationships with her players. We stand behind Coach Hammon as she continues to lead the Las Vegas Aces.’’
Hamby’s suit highlights the need for the parties to revisit the language about pregnancy in the CBA.
‘‘For women to stand up for themselves and stand up for what is right, it definitely pushes [the CBA discussions] a little bit more,’’ said Hamby, who won a bronze medal with the U.S. women’s 3x3 team this month at the Paris Olympics. ‘‘It brings awareness to different things that probably weren’t as seriously addressed before.’’
Hamby will return to Las Vegas for the Sparks’ game against the Aces on Sunday. She was adamant that playing basketball is her ‘‘safe space’’ and that her teammates and coaching staff make her feel ‘‘protected.’’
‘‘I’m not thinking about having conversations,’’ Hamby said. ‘‘I’m here to play basketball, so it’s kind of separate entities.
‘‘There is a little bit of a mental thing I’ll have to deal with going back to Vegas, but I’m confident in my time I spent there. I know the fans love me, so I’m just going to go out there and hoop.’’
