Off-the-Court Scandals Stain Quest for WNBA Championship Three-Peat

The Las Vegas Aces will resume their quest for a three-peat as WNBA champions Saturday amid off-court controversies that now include a federal lawsuit filed by a former Aces player regarding her treatment after disclosing she was pregnant.Now a Los Angeles Sparks forward, Dearica Hamby, filed a lawsuit Monday that alleges repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination, and retaliation” after she told the Aces she was pregnant with her second child.The Aces and Ms. Hamby agreed on a contract extension in June 2022, and the pregnancy was announced during the Aces’ championship parade in September 2022. Ms. Hamby, drafted by the San Antonio Stars in 2015 before they moved to Las Vegas, was eventually traded to the Sparks in January 2023. Her son Legend was born on March 6, 2023.After being traded, Ms. Hamby raised complaints on social media about her alleged treatment by the Aces. The WNBA launched a four-month investigation that according to the league included 33 interviews, as well as a review of “numerous” texts and emails and other documents. The probe resulted in the head coach, Becky Hammon, being suspended in May 2023 for two games without pay for “a violation of league and team respect in the workplace policies.” The franchise also lost its 2025 first-round draft pick for violating rules governing player benefits.That punishment didn’t satisfy Ms. Hamby, who last September filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The EEOC issued Ms. Hamby a “Notice of Right to Sue” on May 23 of this year, which led to Monday’s lawsuit.“The WNBA is, at its core, a workplace, and federal laws have long shielded pregnant women from discrimination on the job,” Ms. Hamby’s attorneys said in a prepared statement published by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “The world champion Aces exiled Dearica Hamby for becoming pregnant and the WNBA responded with a light tap on the wrist.”Ms. Hamby, according to the Las Vegas Journal-Review report, seeks undisclosed damages due to the loss of “prestige” associated with playing for the Aces and lost marketing and endorsement opportunities due to her move to Los Angeles from Las Vegas. She also seeks compensation for emotional damages.The lawsuit, which also alleges the Aces reneged on promises to provide her housing and pay private school tuition for her oldest daughter, could have lasting ramifications for the rights of future mothers playing in the WNBA.“Every potential mother in the league is now on notice that childbirth could change their career prospects overnight,” her attorneys said in their statement.The Aces also are under investigation by the WNBA to determine if they violated the league’s collective bargaining agreement by allowing each player to receive a $100,000 sponsorship from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. The league is investigating whether the sponsorship deal, which runs through the 2025 season, gives the Aces an unfair advantage in free agency. The WNBA commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, said the league hired outside counsel to investigate the matter. “They’re continuing their work,” Ms. Engelbert said last month. “When there’s something to report, we’ll be back to you.”While battling in the courtroom, Ms. Hamby is thriving on the court, averaging 19.2 points and ten rebounds a game. She was part of the WNBA All-Star Team in July and earned a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics as part of the American 3×3 women’s basketball team.Whether the off-the-court issues affect the Aces’ quest for a three-peat remains to be seen. Fatigue might have more of an impact. Four Aces players — A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, and Chelsea Gray — played on the gold-medal-winning American women’s basketball team at Paris, while Megan Gustafson played for Spain and Tiffany Hayes for Azerbaijan. The Aces resume their schedule on Saturday against the New York Liberty at Las Vegas before hosting Ms. Hamby and the Sparks on Sunday.The Aces hope to join the Houston Comets as the only teams to win at least three straight WNBA titles. The Comets, now defunct, won the first three league titles. The Los Angeles Sparks won back-to-back crowns in 2001 and 2002.The Aces opened their season 6-6 but won ten of their 12 games before the Olympic break. They’ll have a good chance to three-peat as long as Ms. Wilson remains healthy. The two-time Most Valuable Player leads the WNBA in averaging 27.2 points, along with 12 rebounds and 2.9 blocks a game. The highest scoring average ever in the WNBA is 25.3, set by Diana Taurasi in 2006.

Off-the-Court Scandals Stain Quest for WNBA Championship Three-Peat

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