“I know people would argue like, ‘you’ve always been good,’ but I still think I’ve improved my skill set… I’ve been able to be super efficient with that.” Those were the words of Sparks forward Dearica Hamby after dropping a career-high in points last season. A testament to the hard work she has put in throughout the years. But Hamby’s path in the WNBA has been far from easy. While legends like Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird are synonymous with loyalty to one franchise, Hamby could have been in that same conversation. But that was not to be! Instead, her long stint with the Aces came to a controversial end. Three years after getting traded, she’s opened up about a deeply personal experience from her time in Vegas.

Dearica Hamby was once the heart and soul of the Las Vegas Aces. She had spent her entire career with the franchise up until 2022. That June, she signed a two-year extension and would go on to win the first championship in franchise history just a few months later. But then, things took a turn for the worse.

According to Hamby, just weeks after she signed the contract extension, she found out that she was pregnant. She notified the team and completed the season; however, after the title run, things allegedly shifted behind the scenes. According to Hamby, the attitude from both the front office and coaching staff changed noticeably. And then came the real surprise. In January 2023, the Aces traded Hamby and a first-round pick to the Sparks in exchange for Amanda Zahui B. and a 2024 second-round pick.

For a two-time Sixth Woman of the Year and reigning All-Star, the trade felt like a slap in the face. Something was off! Hamby later spoke out, claiming she had been “lied to, bullied, manipulated, and discriminated against” by the Aces as she filed a lawsuit against them in August 2024. “I was throwing up in the locker room that night,” revealed Hamby in the Straight to Cam podcast recently when they were talking about the 2022 WNBA semifinals.

Hamby would see just 8 minutes of action across four games as the Aces came back from a game down to beat Sue Bird’s Seattle Storm. The complications that come with pregnancy were evident. She did get some extended minutes in the Finals, but the All-Star Dearica Hamby was clearly missing!

It’s quite obvious that Hamby never got the credit she deserved. But there are always two sides to the story. Hamby might have felt hard done by the Aces, but the front office and coach Becky Hammon had a different story to tell. According to them, it was a strategic move, one they believed aligned with their long-term vision for the team.

Becky Hammon talks about Dearica Hamby’s trade

Hamby has achieved significant personal success during her time with the Sparks. She hit a career high in points last season, averaging 17.3 points a game. But that’s not all! She has followed it up this season as well. Currently, she is averaging 17.5 points a game. But despite her on-court success, her controversial departure from the Las Vegas Aces continues to spark conversation. 10 months have passed since she filed a lawsuit against them, and Coach Becky Hammon also said her side of the story behind the trade.

“(Her pregnancy) wasn’t a problem, and it never was why we made the decision to move Hamby. We made the decision to move Hamby because we could get three bodies in for her one contract … It was never an issue, and it was never the reason she was traded. It just wasn’t,” the coach said.

Jury’s still out on how the case will pan out. But legal battles aside, what’s been refreshing to see is Hamby rediscovering her passion for the game in LA. Reuniting with former Aces teammate Kelsey Plum has sparked some real on-court chemistry, giving fans something to cheer about. Do you think the Sparks will make the playoffs this season? Let us know in the comments below!