Becky Hammon Faces Fierce Backlash After Lawsuit Filed by Former Aces All-Star

Three-time WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby filed a federal lawsuit against the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces earlier this week, alleging "intimidation, discrimination and retaliation" due to her pregnancy last year.

Aces head coach Becky Hammon was named in the lawsuit, which alleges that she "questioned Hamby's dedication and commitment to the team" after her pregnancy announcement.

Hammon allegedly asked Hamby is she planned her pregnancy, then told her she wasn't taking the proper precautions to avoid pregnancy.

The Aces traded Hamby to the Los Angeles Sparks in January 2023. Hammon allegedly did not deny the accusation that the team traded her because she got pregnant.

Hammon is facing fierce backlash on social media following these allegations. Some are calling for suspension or even dismissal of the Las Vegas coach.

"Becky Hammon demonstrated extreme callousness & incredible incompetence regarding this Dearica Hamby situation. It sucks to say that it is fireable in my opinion. I know players on the Aces team love Becky, but they're wrong on this one. Including my favorite player Kelsey Plum," one fan wrote.

"Becky Hammon. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?" another said.

"The funniest part about the Las Vegas Aces/Dearica Hamby situation is that she didn’t miss a single game so they played themselves, made a bad trade, lost a first round pick and are getting sued when Becky Hammon could’ve just sat there and kept her mouth shut," another added.

"The WNBA is, at its core, a workplace, and federal laws have long shielded pregnant women from discrimination on the job," Hamby's lawyers said in a statement on earlier this week. "The world champion Aces exiled Dearica Hamby for becoming pregnant and the WNBA responded with a light tap on the wrist. Every potential mother in the league is now on notice that childbirth could change their career prospects overnight. That can’t be right in one of the most prosperous and dynamic women’s professional sports leagues in America."