The Phoenix Mercury were hit with a lawsuit filed in Arizona against the franchise from the team's former interim coach Nikki Blue's legal team on Thursday, July 3, per the Associated Press.

Blue, who is Black, was hired in 2022 as an assistant coach and was named the team's interim coach in June 2023 after Vanessa Nygaard was fired midseason. Blue had a 7-21 record in the interim role.

Nikki Blue's lawsuit against the Mercury alleges unequal treatment based on race and gender, unequal pay based on race and that her employment was terminated in retaliation for complaints about ...

Blue, who is Black, claims she was paid $250,000 in her interim role, less than the $375,000 that Nygaard, who is white, made. She also accuses the Mercury of setting her up to fail by fielding an ...

Blue became the interim head coach when the Mercury fired Nygaard in June 2023 following a 2-10 start to the 2023 season on the heels of finishing 15-21 in 2022 with a first-round playoff loss.

PHOENIX (AP) — Lawyers for former Phoenix Mercury interim coach Nikki Blue have filed a lawsuit against the organization, alleging unequal treatment based on race and gender, unequal pay based ...