Dearica Hamby shared a very heartfelt message to former Sparks coach Curt Miller.
The Los Angeles Sparks and head coach Curt Miller reportedly agreed to part ways Tuesday, stunning star forward Dearica Hamby.
The Sparks had a rough year. Injuries to several players, including Cameron Brink, completely altered what the team likely wanted to do. Additionally, head coach Curt Miller seemingly struggled at times to nail down rotations given the circumstances.
In a stunning turn of events, Miller is out as head coach after two seasons with the team. The Sparks revealed the news Tuesday, shocking fans and starter Dearica Hamby. Hamby took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her feelings, saying, “A little lost for words, honestly,” before sharing more thoughts and a public thank you to Miller. Here’s what she said:
“To [Curt Miller], I am truly thankful for our relationship, and I think that showed. You had my back on all levels that some [people] will never see. I wish we could’ve had more time as we’ve seen what you’re capable of…BUILD is still the belief, and you started that! Love you always!!!”
Hamby’s lawsuit continues a years-long battle over what she alleges is discrimination and retaliation based on a previous pregnancy and a trade to the Los Angeles Sparks. Many things have transpired since the initial rift between Hamby and the Aces, and it’s important to understand how we got here.
Here’s everything we know about Dearica Hamby’s federal lawsuit against the Las Vegas Aces, including a timeline of events:
In 2022, the Las Vegas Aces offered Dearica Hamby a two-year contract
(Mary Holt/USA TODAY Sports)
Hamby and Las Vegas agreed to a two-year contract extension on June 29, 2022.
At the time of the extension, general manager Natalie Williams said, “[Dearica] has been a key piece of our core group for several years now, and her energy and hustle will be invaluable to our future success.”
According to a source, Dearica Hamby’s contract extension with the Aces is for 2-years at $169K each year. It appears she took less to stay with the team.
Dearica Hamby alleges that the Las Vegas Aces offered more than just a new deal
According to Hamby, Las Vegas promised “certain benefits” and inducements” to get her to sign, including an agreement to cover private school tuition for her daughter as a donation and allowing her to stay in team-provided housing so that her family could assist with childcare while she was on the road.
Interesting to note: Hamby claims Aces "promised" her "benefits and inducements outside of the contract to entice Hamby to sign," including covering her daughter's private school tuition.@howardmegdal has previously reported Aces had been investigated for other cap circumvention https://t.co/gref13SqBSpic.twitter.com/XYgsFIzBZv
Dearica Hamby discovers that she is pregnant and informs the Las Vegas Aces
Mar 6, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Jennifer Azzi (left), Las Vegas Aces forward Dearica Hamby (center) and Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis attend the Pac -12 Conference Women’s Tournament Championship at Michelob Ultra Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Weeks after signing her contract, Hamby shared that she was pregnant with Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon and general manager Natalie Williams. That’s when Hamby says that things suddenly shifted after news of her pregnancy became public knowledge among the staff.
According to Hamby’s account of the events, the team allegedly withheld the tuition it promised for her daughter — telling her that they were “working on it” — and removed her from team-provided housing. But things between Hamby and the Aces got significantly worse after that.
In a January 2023 Instagram post, Hamby alleged that the Aces questioned her commitment to the team and if she planned her pregnancy. Additionally, she shared that she believed a trade was happening because of her pregnancy and because “she wouldn’t be ready” and the team “needed bodies.”
The WNBA Players Association opens an investigation into the Las Vegas Aces
(Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports)
Following her trade to the Los Angeles Sparks, Hamby partnered with the WNBA Players Association to launch an investigation.
By May, the investigation was complete, and the WNBA concluded that the Aces violated league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and suspended Aces head coach Becky Hammon for two games without pay for violating WNBA and team respect in the workplace policies. The team also lost a 2025 first-round draft pick.
Still, Dearica Hamby explored every avenue to have grievances with the Las Vegas Aces addressed
In September 2023, Hamby filed a complaint with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and received a “notice of a right to sue” — or the right to file a lawsuit against an employer in a federal or state court — in May 2024.
In August 2024, the filing of Hamby’s lawsuit was confirmed. The details in the lawsuit included allegations that Las Vegas allegedly didn’t invite Hamby to their 2022 White House visit after it won a championship and that the team told its staff not to put Hamby’s daughter on-screen during a 2023 playoff game as retaliation for speaking publicly about the trade.
Per Callie Lawson-Freeman of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Hamby is also seeking damages for the loss of “reputational prestige” and marketing and endorsement opportunities she missed out on by being forced to move to Los Angeles.
Hamby alleges that the Aces didn't invite her to the White House to celebrate their 2022 title and told its video people not to put Hamby's daughter on screen in the arena during a 2023 playoff game as retaliation for Hamby speaking publicly about the reason she was traded. https://t.co/gref13RSMkpic.twitter.com/cRu7jUcpY9
Following Hamby’s filing, the WNBPA and the Las Vegas Aces responded with these statements:
WNBPA Executive Director Terri Carmichael Jackson's statement regarding Dearica Hamby's lawsuit against the Las Vegas Aces and the WNBA: pic.twitter.com/3PTN9WtzTr
Statement from the Aces: “As an organization, we continue to stand behind our statement on May 16, 2023 made at the conclusion of the WNBA’s investigation into this matter. Given that this is an ongoing litigation, the Aces will have no further comment at this time.” https://t.co/XDW4NZy1my
Becky Hammon shared several comments about Hamby’s lawsuit after an August 18 game against the Los Angeles Sparks. (It’s also worth noting that Hamby was seemingly booed by the Aces home crowd multiple times during the matchup.)
I asked Aces coach Becky Hammon about facing Dearica Hamby for the first time since she filed a federal lawsuit against the team and WNBA.
The league argued that Hamby doesn’t have standing to sue the WNBA because the league technically doesn’t employ her.
The WNBA also refutes Hamby’s claim that it didn’t properly investigate her allegations and denies failing to extend Hamby’s marketing agreement with the league as a form of retaliation. (The WNBA cited a nine-month gap between Hamby’s complaint and the contract expiring as evidence of lack of causation.)
Per Her Hoops Stats, the Aces also filed a motion, arguing that Hamby did not adequately prove that her January 2023 Instagram post sharing details about her trade caused any alleged retaliatory actions the Aces took.
The Aces also want the dismissal of Hamby’s claim of sexual discrimination because the team argues that Hamby failed to provide evidence or multiple defenses to support what she is accusing the team of.
Good morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you. I hope you had a fantastic weekend.
Becky Hammon certainly didn’t. I’m not telling you that so you can feel sorry for her — she brought this on herself.
Let’s start with the news, though.
Hammon took a portion of her post-game press conference on Sunday to tell anyone who would listen that she did no harm to current Sparks All-Star Dearica Hamby when she was a member of the Aces.
Hamby filed a lawsuit last week against the Las Vegas Aces and the WNBA, alleging that because she was pregnant after signing her contract extension in 2022, she faced “repeated acts of intimidation, discrimination, and retaliation from the Aces” before the team shipped her to Los Angeles. The details are brutal. Hamby alleges that after Hammon and the Aces found out she was pregnant in July 2022, they reneged on certain agreements in the deal.
More crucially, Hamby also claims to have been bullied by Hammon.
Hamby detailed Hammon’s questions about her dedication to the team during her pregnancy. Hamby said Hammon told her that she “didn’t hold up her end of the bargain” by getting pregnant and that, by signing the extension, Hamby implicitly agreed not to.
It’s jaw-dropping stuff that, if true, would be more than reasonable enough to result in Hammon’s firing. But, according to Becky, none of this ever happened.
“I’ve been in either the WNBA or the NBA for 25 years now; I’ve never had an HR complaint—never, not once. I still didn’t actually ‘cause Dearica didn’t file any. She didn’t file with the players' union.She didn’t file with the WNBA. Those are the facts.” Becky Hammon on lawsuit pic.twitter.com/C0K1cLkpVw
“Here’s some facts,” Hammon told reporters. “I’ve been in either the WNBA or the NBA for now 25 years. I’ve never had an HR complaint. Never, not once. I still didn’t, actually, because Dearica didn’t file any. She didn’t file with the players’ union, she didn’t file with the WNBA. Those are facts.”
You want to talk about facts? Let’s talk about facts.
Hammon claims the bullying “didn’t happen,” yet, somehow, after a months-long investigation spearheaded by the WNBA itself, the league found enough wrongdoing by Hammon to suspend her for two games last season. That’s a fact. Hammon can’t tell us that she didn’t do anything wrong here when we know that to be true.
It’s not unreasonable to believe that it’s true, either. The WNBA has been shaky in the past when handling player pregnancies. All we have to do is look back on how the Mercury treated Skylar Diggins-Smith during her pregnancy last season. It sounds pretty similar.
That might surprise you, but it shouldn’t. The WNBA might be a highly visible league, but we’re still dealing with simple workplace dynamics here.
On one end, you’ve got a coach in Hammon who makes $1 million per year and led her team to a championship (with Hamby included!) in her first season as a head coach. On the other, you’ve got a player who doesn’t even make a quarter of what her coach makes and wasn’t the best talent on the roster.
Given those facts — since, again, Becky says we’re talking about facts — whose side do you think the Aces chose? Whose side do you think the WNBA chose? It’s easy math.
You can’t help but feel like Hammon just put her foot in her mouth. What she’s telling saying is so easy to pick apart.
At best, what she’s doing here is downright irresponsible. There’s a reason folks don’t talk about pending litigation. What she says here will be used in court, and when the parties go into discovery, I’d bet this moment will somehow look worse than it does today. It might even lead to the end of her tenure in Vegas.
At worst, this is sinister and downright ghoulish. Hammon is gaslighting Dearica by telling her that what she had to endure was somehow “over the top care” from her former head coach.
And that, folks, is precisely what workplace bullying looks like. We’ll see how this plays out in court.
Bo Nix … Is that you?
Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
If you asked people who they thought was the best bet out there to win Offensive Rookie of the Year in the NFL this season, you’d probably hear a lot of Caleb Williams. Maybe Jayden Daniels or Drake Maye. Maybe even Rome Odunze or Marvin Harrison Jr.
You probably wouldn’t hear much about Bo Nix, but the guy has looked solid so far in a couple of preseason games for Sean Payton and the Broncos.
“To start, the Denver Broncos rookie almost certainly locked up the team’s starting job with his preseason play, which already gives him an edge over at least two and maybe three of his classmates who won’t see the field. J.J. McCarthy was ruled out for the season after knee surgery. Michael Penix Jr. (+6600) is stuck behind Kirk Cousins for the foreseeable future. And Drake Maye (+3500) is backing up Jacoby Brissett for the time being.
That leaves Caleb Williams (+140) and Jayden Daniels (+500) as the most immediate competition at QB, and both have much shorter odds than Nix at +1200.”
This is impressive stuff from Bo Nix — especially considering how little time he’s had in Denver. That starting spot is up for grabs and he seems to want it.
Am I impressed because my expectations were at 0? Maybe. But who cares! I’m still impressed, nonetheless.
Do the Soto Shuffle
It’s hard not to get excited when you see Juan Soto come up to bat. Not only do you know there’s a solid chance you’re about to see something special, but you also know the Soto Shuffle is coming.
Analyzing Tuesday’s Summer Olympics odds and lines, with expert picks, predictions and best bets.
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The 2024 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, run through Aug. 11 in Paris, France. We’ll review the best bets for Tuesday. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines for the best bets and prop plays for Tuesday’s Olympic action, and make our expert Summer Olympic picks and predictions.
Each day we’ll check out the best bets, as well as the top prop plays when applicable.
For Tuesday, July 30, it’s another busy day of Olympic action. We’ll get plenty of men’s and women’s badminton, women’s handball, men’s and women’s shooting, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s rowing, men’s and women’s beach volleyball, men’s field hockey, judo, men’s and women’s table tennis, men’s water polo, men’s basketball, men’s and women’s boxing, equestrian, men’s and women’s swimming, men’s archery, men’s and women’s sailing, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s cycling, women’s fencing, women’s rugby, women’s canoe, men’s soccer, men’s and women’s surfing, men’s and women’s 3×3 basketball, among others.
Medals will be awarded in team shooting, mixed table tennis, judo, women’s artistic gymnastics, women’s rugby, women’s fencing, men’s and women’s swimming and men’s and women’s surfing.
Men’s 3×3 basketball: LATVIA -1.5 (-106) vs. Lithuania
In the Men’s pool round of 3×3 basketball, Latvia looks to get off to a quick start in defense of its gold medal from the Tokyo games. Latvia matches up with fellow Baltic nation Lithuania at 12:35 p.m. ET.
Latvia will have Francis Lacis, Karlis Lasmanis, Nauris Miezis and Zigmars Raimo on the roster as it looks to successfully defend its gold medal in the inaugural Olympics competition of this event in the 2020 games. Lasmanis and Miezis were on the roster for gold in Tokyo, too.
The Latvians are tied with host France for the 3rd-shortest odds (+600) to win the gold medal behind co-favorites USA and Serbia (+170 each). On the flip side, Lithuania (+1400) has rather poor odds.
Back the defending champs, especially with the experienced Lasmanis and Miezis leading the charge.
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Men’s 3×3 basketball: FRANCE -2.5 (-122) vs. Poland
The host nation gets underway at 4:05 p.m. ET at La Concorde, and the Poles aren’t expected to offer much resistance.
As mentioned above, France is tied with defending gold medalists Latvia (+600) for the 3rd-shortest odds to secure gold in Paris.
Poland (+4000) is the biggest long shot.
Lucas Dussoulier, Jules Rambaut, Franck Seguela and Timothe Vergiat comprise the roster for the French side. This assortment should get off to a quick start, especially with the backing of the home crowd, against a team not expected to do much. BET FRANCE -2.5 (+122).
Women’s 3×3 basketball: USA -5.5 (-122) vs. Germany
Team USA enters the event as the gold medal favorite, led by WNBA stars Dearica Hamby (LA Sparks) and Rhyne Howard (Atlanta Dream), TCU’s Hailey Van Lith and retired WNBA veteran Cierra Burdick. This game is scheduled to start at 11:30 a.m. ET.
Burdick, who played at the University of Tennessee 2011-15 before a 5-year WNBA career with 7 teams, was a member on the 2022 US World Cup team as well as the 2023 US World Cup champions in Vienna, along with Van Lith.
Van Lith transferred to TCU in the offseason after starring at Louisville for 3 seasons and at LSU her senior year last season.
The Americans also won gold in Santiago, Chile in the 2023 Pan American Games with Burdick on the roster.
Germany should serve as nothing more than a speed bump as Team USA gets off to a fast start in its quest for a 2nd consecutive gold medal.
Cameron Brink’s teammate, Dearica Hamby, is going to Paris, and it’s so perfect.
Cameron Brink‘s teammate, Dearica Hamby, will replace her in the Paris Olympics, and it’s absolutely perfect.
Earlier this month, when Cameron Brink suffered a season-ending injury, speculation began about who could replace her in Paris. Truthfully, the list was limited because of FIBA’s regulations for 3×3 basketball.
But, as fate would have it, Dearica Hamby, Cameron Brink’s teammate, actually qualifies for Olympic consideration and has the 3×3 experience to back it up. Honestly, it’s all so perfect because not only did Dearica show tremendous support for Cam after her season ended, but she’ll get a chance to continue that support at the Olympics in Cam’s slot.
Hoops fans, including Magic Johnson and Sparks head coach Curt Miller and, loved the selection. Here’s what they said:
On behalf of the @LASparks ownership group and all Sparks fans, congratulations to Dearica for being names to the USA 3×3 Women's Basketball team for the Paris Olympics! https://t.co/ga8P8SfUoh
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 24, 2024
Great addition!!! Hamby being rewarded for how well she’s performing. And how prophetic she gets to honor her teammate & friend by playing on her behalf. 🇺🇸 https://t.co/4bzJSaVDib
Well deserved, a double double machine, couldn’t ask for a better replacement https://t.co/5NoG5O3p7z
— SGT. Fever’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (@RevengeOfTheCLE) June 24, 2024
when she said she got cam every step of the way, she meant that!!! absolutely love this for her and team usa! @dearicamarie get it!! https://t.co/vKZXnjHRZa
The teams were composed of players various levels, including the WNBA, NCAA and Athletes Unlimited.
If you are a phenomenal player, it doesn’t matter if you are still in college or a seasoned professional player. USA Basketball was represented by two teams at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series opener with players from the WNBA, NCAA, Athletes Unlimited and the international level.
After winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, the United States is looking to repeat in Paris. Team USA consisted of Hailey Van Lith, Cierra Burdick, Lexie Hull and Rhyne Howard. The other roster, Team Springfield, boasted Allisha Gray, Cameron Brink, Dearica Hamby and Linnae Harper.
Team USA took second to Canada in the final at the Springfield stop of the series, falling short, 20-18. The teams competing in the series consisted of athletes from Canada, France, Germany and Puerto Rico.
The 3×3 game is a bit different than the 5×5 full-court basketball. For example, 3×3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious. If neither team reaches 21 before time expires, the team with the most points wins.
“I just like how free-flowing it is; there’s a lot of room for error,” Brink said. “If you mess up, you just have to move on to the next possession immediately.”
The FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series “offers women a chance to play 3×3 at the highest competitive level regularly, representing a unique opportunity to bring new countries and players into the limelight and to recognize the best and upcoming players in the industry.” The event culminates in a 3×3 World Cup and then the Olympic Games in Paris.
Dearica Hamby was named the tournament MVP and led her team in scoring with 33 points.
Team USA women’s 3×3 team won gold at the FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup on Sunday. The team consisted of Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Katie Lou Samuelson (Los Angeles Sparks) and Camille Zimmerman (USO Mondeville).
Hamby was named the tournament MVP and led her team in scoring with 33 points. The scoring system is different in 3×3, with each bucket inside the arc earning one point and each bucket outside the arc earning two points.
This was the 3×3 debut for both Hamby and Mitchell. Hamby, however, was sure she would be able to adjust to the different style of play.
“I should be able to adjust to 3×3 pace because I’m an up-tempo-hustle-energy player,” Hamby said. “You can’t learn how to play this style until you do it, but it’s basketball at the end of the day.”
The team was coached by Jennifer Rizzotti, the team president for the Connecticut Sun and a former professional basketball player and coach.
Rizzotti shared this on Instagram in regards to Hamby’s amazing game-winning buzzer beater.
The team includes Dearica Hamby (Los Angeles Sparks), Kelsey Mitchell (Indiana Fever), Katie Lou Samuelson (Los Angeles Sparks) and Camille Zimmerman (USO Mondeville).
“It’s been my dream since I was a little kid to represent my country,” said Zimmerman. I wanted to do this tournament in particular because last year, we finished third and I wanted redemption. When they called and said I could play, I was extremely happy. It’s another chance at redemption and another chance at gold.”
San Juan, We Coming 🔥🔥🔥
Introducing the 🇺🇸 Women for the #3x3AmeriCup Dec. 1-3 in 🇵🇷 Puerto Rico!
Zimmerman won bronze at the 2022 3×3 AmeriCup and competed in the 2022 and 2023 FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series. Samuelson is a six-time 5-on-5 gold medalist. This will be her second 3×3 assignment after helping qualify the USA for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics with a first-place finish at the 2021 FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
This will be both Hamby and Mitchell’s debut in 3×3. Hamby participated in the 5-on-5 USA women’s national team training camp and exhibition against Duke earlier this month. Mitchell most recently took part in the 2022 World Cup qualifying window in February.
The 2023 FIBA 3×3 AmeriCup is set for Dec. 1-3 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Hamby and the WNBPA could be seeking to file a grievance related to violation of the Respect in the Workplace policies.
The WNBA found the reigning champions, the Las Vegas Aces, violated league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and violated league and team respect in the workplace policies.
However, the WNBPA indicated the penalties levied against Las Vegas Aces’ head coach Becky Hammon and the team were not enough.
The WNBPA seems to suggest there may be more to come with this situation. “We will continue to support our member as she considers the League’s decision and explores all available remedies,” it said in a statement.
Hammon on May 16 was suspended for two games without pay for violating respect in the workplace policies related to “comments made by Hammon to (Dearica) Hamby in connection with Hamby’s recent pregnancy.” Hamby was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks in January after announcing her pregnancy during the Aces’ championship festivities.
“Pregnancy” discrimination under Title VII can be based on:
Current pregnancy;
Past pregnancy;
Potential pregnancy;
Medical condition related to pregnancy or childbirth including breastfeeding/lactation;
Having or choosing not to have an abortion;
and birth control (Contraception).
Generally, employees have 180 days to file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), but state laws can extend this time frame. The law in Nevada, where the Aces are based, indicates employees have 300 days to file a claim. By law, an employee cannot be prohibited from filing a claim with the EEOC, however, by agreement, they can select a different forum such as arbitration. The WNBA and the WNBPA entered into a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which discusses arbitration for settling disputes.
In Article XXII of the CBA, the procedures for settling a dispute include grievances for both on-court and off-court conduct. The CBA specifically discusses pregnancy, which could mean players must submit to arbitration for grievances related to pregnancy. If this is the case, then Hamby and the WNBPA could be seeking to file a grievance and request arbitration related to the violation of the Respect in the Workplace policies.
Article V of the CBA specifically mentions the standard player contract and pregnancy. In Section 14(j) the CBA lays out:
“A player who knows she has an injury, illness or condition (including pregnancy) that renders, or she knows will likely render, her physically unable to perform the playing services required under a Player Contract may not validly enter into such a Player Contract without prior written disclosure of such injury, illness or condition to the Team.”
However, Hamby claimed she did not sign her contract extension knowingly pregnant. Her Instagram post states: “I was accused of signing my contract extension knowingly pregnant. This is false.” The WNBA did not respond to a question about whether a grievance has been filed by the WNBPA on Hamby’s behalf.
She was physically able to perform the playing services required as evidenced by her attendance and performance in the Sparks’ training camp practices. Hamby had her second child on March 15, 2023.
“I’m capable. I was physically cleared at four weeks,” Hamby said. “I did start to rest, but as time went on I was kind of sitting at home and I was like, ‘This is kind of boring, I want to go back and play basketball.'”
Los Angeles Sparks All-Star Dearica Hamby shares her thoughts on the WNBA’s investigation into her allegations of workplace misconduct during her recent pregnancy against Las Vegas Aces. Hamby’s motivation to play this season are her two children. Hamby’s 1st game is May 19. pic.twitter.com/nj4jdduAC5
The WNBPA indicated the penalties levied against Aces head coach Becky Hammon and the team were not enough.
The WNBA announced it had concluded its investigation into alleged misconduct by the Las Vegas Aces raised by former player Dearica Hamby. The league found that the Aces “violated league rules regarding impermissible player benefits and violated league and team Respect in the Workplace policies.”
The WNBPA indicated the penalties levied against Aces head coach Becky Hammon and the team were not enough.
The statement reads: “The League had an opportunity to send a clear message that it abides by and protects the provisions of the CBA, particularly those that we were most proud of – the provisions meant to support player parents. Today’s decision regarding penalties, however, misses the mark. Where in this decision does this team or any other team across the League learn the lesson that respect in the workplace is the highest standard and a player’s dignity cannot be manipulated?”
Our statement regarding the League’s announcement of the findings of its investigation. pic.twitter.com/GLhkKUlVL8
The WNBPA seems to suggest there may be more to come with this situation. “We will continue to support our member as she considers the League’s decision and explores all available remedies.”
