Through Mary plays
July 5, 2025
The lawsuit claims that Blue was pushed aside despite its qualifications and revenge for speaking about unfair treatment.
Former Phoenix Mercury -Interim -head coach Nikki Blue has brought a lawsuit against the team, where racial and gender discrimination, unequal wages and unlawful termination claim. The lawsuit, submitted on July 3 in Arizona, claims that Blue – a black woman – was put aside despite her qualifications and revenge for speaking about unfair treatment.
“Despite her exemplary record and professionalism, Mrs. Blue was poured aside, humiliated and the possibility of leading,” said Mesidor PLLC, the law firm that represents Blue.
“This lawsuit is not just about the career of one woman – it is about the omnipresent, institutional lack of respect for black women in sports leadership.”
According to Unpleasant AzrentricalBlue came to the Mercury as an assistant coach in March 2022 under former head coach Vanessa Nygaard. After a rough start of the 2023 season, with Phoenix who started 2-10, Nygaard was fired and Blue was promoted to interim head coach.
Under the leadership of Blue, the team finished 7-21 and missed the play-offs for the first time in more than ten years. She was not saved after the season and was replaced in October 2023 by Nate Tibbetts, a former assistant coach at the Orlando Magic.
Neither blue nor Tibbetts in particular had previous professional head coaching experience. According to the court case, Blue received $ 250,000 in its interim role – considerably less than the salary of $ 375,000 from Nygaard.
Tibbetts, who is white, was named the best -paid coach in the history of WNBA with a reported salary of more than $ 1 million a year.
The lawsuit also claims that Mercury has taken deliberate selection to undermine Blue’s success during her interim period. Since Blue’s departure, the Mercury has improved under Tibbetts, which ended the 2024 season on 19-21 with a play-off exit in the first round and currently contains a record of 12-6 from July 4.
Blue has since continued her coaching career, member of the Los Angeles Sparks in January and later recorded a staff role at USC under head coach Lindsey Gottlieb.
The Mercury and Suns organization strongly pushed back on the court case, in particular its ties with lawyer Sheree Wright, who led various legal actions against the franchise.
“Dit is de vijfde rechtszaak tegen de organisatie door Sheree Wright, een advocaat die twee keer is gedisciplineerd door het Hooggerechtshof van Arizona voor het plegen van talloze schendingen van de regels van professioneel gedrag – inclusief het maken van valse en niet -ondersteunde beschuldigingen van raciale vooringenomenheid tegen een rechter,” zei Stacey Mitch, senior VP van communicaties voor de zonnen en kwiksen.
“Just like the other cases of Mrs. Wright, this case is completely deserving. Mrs. Blue was interviewed and considered for the position of the head coach, but did not get the position based on her performance as an interim head coach, as well as her limited professional coaching experience. Sheree Wright’s constant abuse of the legal profit is unethical.”
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