In this issue we’ll explore Becky Hammon’s coaching journey. Everyone loves a great underdog story, and nothing screams underdog more than a woman – a gay one at that – trying to secure an NBA coaching job. Becky Hammon was mentored for eight seasons under arguably one of the best coaches ever, Gregg Popovich. NBA circles view it as a matter of time before Hammon is a head coach; however, teams have passed over her the last couple of years.
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Women in the NBA
When it comes to pursuing progressive issues, the NBA is probably tops among sports leagues in the US. They were the first to have female referees back in 1997. Since 2001 there have been a total of 15 women assistant coaches in the NBA, with five working the sideline today. None have had Hammon’s longevity, though.
Commissioner Adam Silver has been open about wanting more women coaches in the NBA. He said he likes seeing more female referees, but that coaching staffs have “a bias in the system”, partly because the female candidate pool is still developing. He continued by saying:
"In jobs that aren't about how high you can jump, how strong you are, or how tall you are, things should be completely equal. I think you are going to see that over time in the coaching ranks."
The resume test
If you are just comparing resumes, Becky Hammon should be a perennial candidate for an NBA head coaching job. Working under Popovich likely accelerated her learning and gave her an understanding of what it takes to win at a high level. Others have been hired with either far less coaching experience or lower quality experience than Hammon.
Recent examples include Chauncey Billups and Joe Mazzulla. Billups was hired as a head coach with only one year of experience as an assistant. Though he had an impressive playing career, the start of his head coaching career in Portland has gotten off to a rocky start. Joe Mazzulla coached in Division II and the G-League mainly as an assistant coach. He then became an assistant with the Boston Celtics for a few years before rising to the head coaching position. He has had success in terms of wins and losses but receives frequent criticism for his in-game decision-making.
NBA teams have their reasons for selecting a head coach. They may value someone who was a former NBA player or someone with significant coaching experience. They may want someone who is known for developing young talent or managing superstar egos.
There are questions about whether Becky Hammon can lead a group of young men in a locker room as a female. Though it’s never been done in all the major sports in the US, Hammon doesn’t feel she needs to prove anything to anyone – she is out to do it for herself. Hammon has a history of being an underdog, so her fight to secure a head coaching job in the NBA is familiar territory.
Hammon’s playing career
Hammon played college ball at Colorado State from 1995 - 1999 and was a three-time All-American. Despite her success in college, she went undrafted. She signed with the New York Liberty of the WNBA shortly after the draft. Feeling snubbed by being undrafted, Hammon made an immediate impact in the WNBA. She served as a backup to the legendary Teresa Weatherspoon before taking over the starting job in 2003. She was named an all-star that same year.
Hammon has developed a hard shell and doesn’t let others’ opinions dictate how she operates. In 2008 she wasn’t invited for a tryout for the U.S. Olympic team. Instead of sitting at home, she did something about it. Hammon decided to compete as a naturalized Russian citizen and ended up winning a bronze medal in Beijing.
Hammon had a successful 16-year playing career that lasted until 2014. She was a 6x WNBA All-Star, 2x All-WNBA First Team selection, 2x All-WNBA Second Team selection, a 1x assists leader, and was named to the WNBA 15th, 20th, and 25th Anniversary Team.
Hammon’s coaching career
When playing for the San Antonio Stars in 2013, Hammon tore her ACL. During her year-long recovery, she started attending San Antonio Spurs practices, coaches meetings, and games. She was often invited to contribute to the team discussions. A year later, the Spurs hired her as an assistant coach.
Hammon worked her way up the assistant coaching ranks for the Spurs, earning promotions over the years. She went from sitting behind the bench to having a place on it. During a game against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Popovich was ejected late in the second quarter. As he left the court, he pointed at Hammon and said, “You got ‘em.”
It was the first time a female had assumed the role of a head coach in an NBA game. Afterward, the Lakers head coach, Frank Vogel, said of Hammon, “Well deserved. I’ve talked to her before and she really knows her stuff and obviously, she’s here for a reason. She’s equipped, intelligent, [and the] guys have great respect for her.”
Hammon also earned the respect of players throughout the league during her time as a Spurs assistant. Pau Gasol wrote:
"I've played with some of the best players of this generation…and I've played under two of the sharpest minds in the history of sports, in Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich. And I'm telling you: Becky Hammon can coach. I'm not saying she can coach pretty well. I'm not saying she can coach enough to get by. I'm not saying she can coach almost at the level of the NBA's coaches. I'm saying: Becky Hammon can coach NBA basketball. Period."
Despite the praise and confidence from prominent NBA coaches and players, Hammon still hasn’t gotten the call to be an NBA head coach. She interviewed with the Portland Trail Blazers and had interest from the Toronto Raptors, but both teams decided to go in other directions.
Hammon said about her lack of head coaching NBA job offers:
“If I had a 16-year NBA career and my name was Brian, I’d be fired and hired a couple of times by now.”
Seeing that no NBA team was willing to give her a shot, Hammon decided to take a head coaching position with the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. In her first year as head coach, she earned the Coach of the Year award and won the WNBA championship. In her second year as Aces head coach, she won her second WNBA championship, becoming the first coach to win back-to-back WNBA championships in 20 years.
When asked about her future, Hammon said, “I love being here. I love being on the women’s side. I don’t need the stamp of approval from the NBA.”
She also expressed a preference for the WNBA’s 40-game, mostly summertime season versus the NBA’s 82-game grind. As a mother of two young children, Hammon expressed how she enjoys spending more time with her kids while employed in the WNBA compared to the NBA. Still, she hasn’t ruled out the possibility of coaching in the Association. While Hammon would still entertain suitors, she isn’t actively seeking an NBA job at the moment.
Hammon has the competitive nature and basketball mind needed to succeed in the NBA. Coaching isn’t the only way she could make her mark. Given some of the challenges that come with being a female coach in a male locker room, there may be opportunities for Hammon to take a front office role in basketball operations.
It would be natural to see Hammon in a general manager role, building a team rather than coaching it. We’ve seen others, such as Pat Riley and Brad Stevens, go from coaching to a GM role. Hammon would be able to make her mark on a franchise without dealing with the dynamics that seem to be causing hesitation to hire her as a head coach. However, it’s yet to be seen if a front office role is something Hammon would want to do long-term. The underdog in her may not accept anything other than being an NBA head coach. Until then, she will continue to lead at the top of the WNBA mountain.
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