MA VoepelESPN.com May 28, 2023 1:40 am ET3 minutes read
With head coach Becky Hammon on the sidelines for the first time this season, the Las Vegas Aces received their 2022 WNBA championship rings Saturday night. So did former Aces player Dearica Hamby, who joined the Los Angeles Sparks in January, the Las Vegas opponents that night.
Hamby criticized the Aces after the swap, accusing them of treating her “unprofessionally and unethically” due to her pregnancy and failing to fulfill promises made to her when she signed a contract extension during the 2022 season. The Aces have denied mistreating Hamby.
But after an investigation, on May 16, the WNBA imposed penalties on Hammon and the Aces for violating the league’s respect-in-the-workplace policy and improper player advantages in relation to Hamby. Hammon was suspended for two games and the Aces were stripped of the 2025 first-round draft pick.
On Saturday, the crowd at Las Vegas’ Michelob Ultra Arena gave Hamby a hearty ovation as she was presented with her ring and hugged by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert and Aces owner Mark Davis. Hamby played for Las Vegas from 2018 to 2022 – and the three years before that she was with the San Antonio Stars, who became the Aces when they moved to Las Vegas.
“I feel like it was a great moment for her, a great moment for us to share with her,” said Aces star A’ja Wilson of handing over the ring to Hamby. “Without it, we won’t win the ring [Dearica]. So it’s great that she was able to share this moment with her two children, her mother and her sister. And it was really nice to see her.
The Aces played Hamby and the Sparks in Los Angeles on Thursday. In that game, assistant Natalie Nakase stood in for Hammon as head coach, while Aces assistant Tyler Marsh did the same on May 20 in the Aces’ season opener at the Seattle Storm.
After Hammon returned from their suspension, the Aces defeated the undermanned Sparks 93-65 and were up 3-0 in the young season. Hammon was then asked about the emotions of the past two weeks.
“This is my 25th year in the WNBA or the NBA,” said Hammon, who began her 16-season WNBA playing career in 1999 and then was an assistant with the Spurs for eight seasons before taking over the Aces last year. “This is just my home. So it was definitely nice to be out there and to be with my team.”
“But honestly, they’ve been great the whole time. They definitely know how to make me smile. It was nice to have that moment with them and to be out there and going into battle with them.”
Wilson, the 2022 WNBA MVP, said of Hammon, “We tried our best to support them. We know it wasn’t easy for them not to be on the sidelines. It was our job to make sure we didn’t drop out and keep on being us.”
The Aces also unveiled the 2022 Championship banner in the arena, alongside the #25 banner, the 2021 franchise retired in honor of Hammon. She played for the San Antonio franchise for eight seasons before it moved to Las Vegas.
“I didn’t know they were going to put it right there,” Hammon said. “But I have to say it looks very nice next to it. I’m happy for the 2022 team, all members. It was nice to enjoy.”