Hammon stands firm on denial Las Vegas Aces mistreated Hamby - ESPN

Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon reiterated Sunday what she has said previously about former Aces player Dearica Hamby's trade to Los Angeles in January 2023. Hammon has denied that the Aces mistreated Hamby or traded her because she was pregnant.

Hamby filed a federal lawsuit last Monday against the WNBA and the Aces, alleging that because of her pregnancy, she was subject to «repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination and retaliation from the Aces» before being traded to the Sparks. Hamby also alleges the WNBA failed to «properly investigate» the issue.

Sunday, the Aces defeated Hamby and the Sparks 87-71 in Las Vegas. After the game, Hammon addressed the lawsuit when asked about it in the postgame news conference.

«Here's some facts,» Hammon said. «I've been in either the WNBA or the NBA for now 25 years. I've never had an HR complaint. Never, not once. I still didn't, actually, because Dearica didn't file any. She didn't file with the players' union, she didn't file with the WNBA. Those are facts.

»It's also factual that nobody made a call about trading her until Atlanta called us in January [2023]. That's a fact. So… 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."

Hamby was part of the Aces' 2022 WNBA championship team and had been with the organization since being drafted No. 6 in 2015 when the Aces were still located in San Antonio and called the Stars. The franchise moved to Las Vegas in 2018.

Hamby re-signed with Las Vegas in June 2022 during the season. In the lawsuit, she said along with the two-year contract extension, the Aces offered her a series of