July 5, 2025
The swimsuit claims Blue was pushed apart regardless of her {qualifications} and retaliated in opposition to for talking out about unfair remedy.
Former Phoenix Mercury interim head coach Nikki Blue has filed a lawsuit in opposition to the staff, alleging racial and gender discrimination, unequal pay, and wrongful termination. The swimsuit, filed July 3, in Arizona, claims Blue—a Black lady—was pushed apart regardless of her {qualifications} and retaliated in opposition to for talking out about unfair remedy.
“Regardless of her exemplary file and professionalism, Ms. Blue was solid apart, demeaned, and denied the chance to steer,” acknowledged Mesidor PLLC, the regulation agency representing Blue.
“This lawsuit isn’t just about one lady’s profession — it’s in regards to the pervasive, institutional disrespect for Black girls in sports activities management.”
In accordance to AZCentral, Blue joined the Mercury as an assistant coach in March 2022 beneath former head coach Vanessa Nygaard. After a tough begin to the 2023 season, with Phoenix starting 2-10, Nygaard was fired, and Blue was promoted to interim head coach.
Below Blue’s management, the staff completed 7-21 and missed the playoffs for the primary time in over a decade. She was not retained after the season and was changed in October 2023 by Nate Tibbetts, a former assistant coach with the Orlando Magic.
Notably, neither Blue nor Tibbetts had prior skilled head teaching expertise. In line with the lawsuit, Blue was paid $250,000 in her interim function—considerably lower than Nygaard’s $375,000 wage.
Tibbetts, who’s white, was named the highest-paid coach in WNBA historical past with a reported wage of over $1 million yearly.
The swimsuit additional alleges that Mercury made deliberate roster selections meant to undermine Blue’s success throughout her interim tenure. Since Blue’s departure, the Mercury have improved beneath Tibbetts, ending the 2024 season at 19-21 with a first-round playoff exit and at the moment holding a 12-6 file as of July 4.
Blue has since continued her teaching profession, becoming a member of the Los Angeles Sparks in January and later taking up a workers function at USC beneath head coach Lindsey Gottlieb.
The Mercury and Suns group pushed again strongly on the lawsuit, significantly its ties to lawyer Sheree Wright, who has led a number of authorized actions in opposition to the franchise.
“That is the fifth lawsuit introduced in opposition to the group by Sheree Wright, an lawyer who has been disciplined twice by the Supreme Courtroom of Arizona for committing quite a few violations of the principles {of professional} conduct — together with making false and unsupported allegations of racial bias in opposition to a choose,” stated Stacey Mitch, senior VP of communications for the Suns and Mercury.
“Like Ms. Wright’s different instances, this case is totally meritless. Ms. Blue was interviewed and thought of for the pinnacle coach place, however didn’t get the place based mostly on her efficiency as interim head coach, in addition to her restricted skilled teaching expertise. Sheree Wright’s continued abuse of the authorized system for monetary achieve is unethical.”
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