WNBA suspends Hammon 2 games for allegedly bullying pregnant player

The WNBAsuspended Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon, one of the league’s marqueefigures, for two games Tuesday after former Aces player DearicaHamby said she had been bullied and manipulated for beingpregnant.

Hammon, whoin her first season last year led the Aces to the WNBAchampionship, was suspended without pay after a monthslonginvestigation into Hamby’s allegations.

The WNBA didnot disclose details, but said Hammon violated league and team“respect in the workplace” policies.

The leaguealso rescinded the Aces’ first-round pick in the 2025 draft for adifferent issue — a violation of league rules regardingimpermissible player benefits involving Hamby, who was traded tothe Los Angeles Sparks on Jan. 21. It’s the first time in leaguehistory that the WNBA has taken a draft pick from a team.

That meansLas Vegas may not have a first-round pick for two consecutiveseasons. The Aces traded their 2024 pick.

“It iscritical that we uphold the values of integrity and fairness, whichcreate a level playing field for our teams,” said WNBA CommissionerCathy Engelbert. “The Aces failed to adhere to league rules andregulations and have been disciplined accordingly. We are alsodisheartened by the violation of our Respect in the Workplacepolicies and remain committed to ensuring that enhanced training isconducted and standards are followed across all WNBA teams.”

The Acesissued a strongly worded statement that they are “deeplydisappointed by the outcome of the WNBA investigation” and saidthey “stand behind Coach Hammon.”

“We arecommitted to supporting all our players to the fullest extentallowed by the WNBA,” the Aces’ statement read. “Our actions havealways been consistent with our responsibility to hold ourselves tothe highest professional standards, and the facts we presented wereconsistent with these standards. The well-being of our players andtheir families has and will always be at the forefront of who weare.

“The WNBA’sdeterminations about Becky Hammon are inconsistent with what weknow and love about her. Becky is a caring human being who forgesclose personal relationships with her players.”

Theimpermissible benefits were connected to negotiations for anextension of Hamby’s contract. She had signed a two-year extensionwith the Aces last June before she was traded.

After she wastraded, Hamby posted on Instagram: “Being traded is a part of thebusiness. Being lied to, bullied, manipulated, and discriminatedagainst is not.”

Hamby toldreporters after practice on Tuesday that she didn’t “have much tosay about it. I want to move forward and focus on where I am today.I’m healthy and happy, my son is healthy and I’ll be playingbasketball this season. Focus on moving forward. This part of it isover. Me and the union will continue to explore our options.”

The players’union had pushed for an inquiry into whether Hamby’s rights underthe league’s 2020 labor agreement were violated, as well as stateand federal laws. The league investigation included interviews with33 people and a review of texts, emails and other documents.

The union wasnot pleased with the penalties handed down, feeling they shouldhave been harsher.

“The leaguehad an opportunity to send a clear message that it abides by andprotects the provisions of the CBA, particularly those that we weremost proud of — the provisions meant to support player parents,”the union said in a statement. “Today’s decision regardingpenalties, however, misses the mark. Where in this decision doesthis team or any other team across the league learn the lesson thatrespect in the workplace is the highest standard and a player’sdignity cannot be manipulated?”

Hammon, whospent eight seasons as an assistant coach for the San AntonioSpurs, is considered one of the rising stars in the basketballcoaching world. She has beenlinkedto the vacant Toronto Raptors job.

She becamethe first woman to assume the head duties in an NBA game when GreggPopovich was ejected during a December 2020 game against the LosAngeles Lakers. Hammon also coached the Spurs to the 2015 NBASummer League title.

She will beenshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inAugust. She was a six-time WNBA All-Star and became the seventhplayer to eclipse 5,000 career points.

The Aces openthe season on Saturday at Seattle before playing at Los Angelesagainst Hamby and the Sparks on May 25. Las Vegas and New York arethe clear favorites to win the title, according toFanDuel Sportsbook.