Three years after Dearica Hamby was traded by the Las Vegas Aces while pregnant, the WNBA has enacted a rule change that requires teams to obtain a player’s consent before trading her during pregnancy. The provision appears in the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, released Saturday, and has been widely dubbed “The Dearica Hamby Rule.”
Hamby, now a forward for the Los Angeles Sparks, said she received a flood of messages after the CBA details were made public. Her lawyer wrote, “This is because of you.” Hamby told the Review-Journal on Sunday that she immediately understood the reference. “Obviously, I try not to speak on it too much. I’m grateful and happy that there’s a change that has been made,” she said. “At the end of the day, there was a lot of positivity and growth from all sides. And that was able to come into play.”
The new CBA explicitly states: “Teams must obtain player consent before trading a pregnant player.” It also recognizes pregnancy as a protected class and expands family planning benefits for players and their spouses or partners.
Hamby spent eight seasons with the Aces organization, dating back to when the franchise was the San Antonio Stars. She recalled emphasizing four words in her first meeting with the WNBPA after the trade: “This can’t happen again.” Even then, she said she understood both sides but wanted to prevent a repeat of the situation.
Hamby gave birth to her daughter in February 2017 and returned to the court six weeks later. She was prepared to do the same after learning she was pregnant with her son in 2023, but was traded to the Sparks instead. She alleged in a social media post that she was lied to, bullied, manipulated, and discriminated against. In August 2024, she filed a federal lawsuit against the Aces and the WNBA.
According to court records, Hamby claimed the Aces accused her of signing a two-year extension in June 2022 while knowing she was pregnant, though she said she learned of her pregnancy in July. She also alleged that coach Becky Hammon questioned her commitment and dedication. A league investigation resulted in the Aces losing their 2025 first-round pick and Hammon being suspended for the first two games of the 2023 season.
By May 2025, the Aces were the only remaining defendant. The parties agreed to dismiss the lawsuit in December 2025. “I think the situation that happened was unfamiliar to everybody,” Hamby said. “But when you go back and read the old CBA, there’s just so many things in there that didn’t make sense. I think that was somewhat brought to light.”
Hamby, 32, still lives in Las Vegas and recently founded the Dear Marie Foundation, which supports mothers during pregnancy, postpartum, and their return to work. She is partnering with Shade Tree, a domestic violence shelter that reminds her of her own upbringing. “I grew up in a women’s shelter with my mom … it’s full circle,” she said.
Reflecting on her journey, Hamby said being forced out of the Aces pushed her into her purpose. “All of that really just drove me into my purpose,” she said. “I’ve always known my purpose was to be a mom. And then this happened, and I realized my purpose is to help other moms.”
