Aces' Becky Hammon denies bullying following WNBA sanctions - ESPN

Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon strongly defended herself and the organization Wednesday following the WNBA's announcement that she had been suspended two games without pay and that a 2025 first-round draft pick had taken from the franchise over the treatment of forward Dearica Hamby.

Hamby had alleged that she was traded in January to the Los Angeles Sparks because she was pregnant and that the Aces acted unethically toward her. Hammon countered that the trade was «a business decision» based on the Aces' needs.

The penalties, announced Tuesday, followed an investigation by the WNBA.

«I don't recall my relationship with Hamby being anything but on the up and up, and I'm just — obviously along with the organization — disappointed with the findings,» Hammon said in a video call, which was scheduled before the penalties were announced. «It's never [good] to have your name be associated with something like that, which is not who you are as a person. That's not how I operate. I did talk to my team; they were great. I have to say they've been very professional throughout this whole process.»

Hammon said that, to her knowledge, no Aces players from last season were interviewed by the league. The WNBA had said in its statement that «the investigation included interviews with 33 people and a review of numerous texts, e-mails and other documents.»

The WNBA told ESPN that investigators — two former prosecutors, one from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York and one from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office — interviewed everyone who they thought would have relevant information, including people suggested by the Women's National Basketball Players Association. The league said the Aces were given the