The Spurs’ Becky Hammon on making history as the first woman to serve as NBA head coach: ‘It’s a substantial moment’
On Wednesday night, Becky Hammon made history by becoming the first woman to act as head coach during an NBA regular-season game.
The San Antonio Spur’s assistant coach was made interim head coach and filled in for acting head coach Gregg Popovich after he was ejected by the referees in the first half of the Spurs’ 121-107 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.
When asked about the historical moment, Hammon stated, “Obviously, it’s a big deal, it’s a substantial moment, I’ve been a part of this organization. I got traded here in 2007, so I’ve been in San Antonio and part of the Spurs and sports organization with the Stars and everything for 13 years. So, I have a lot of time invested, and they have a lot of time invested in me in building me and getting me better.”
With 3:56 remaining in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game, head coach Gregg Popovich was given a technical foul and was ejected from the game for arguing and getting into an altercation with the referee over a brutal no-call with his team trailing the Lakers 52-41.
Now in her seventh season with the Spurs’ coaching staff, Hammon brings her expertise of the game and was a six-time All-Star in the WNBA with the New York Liberty and the local San Antonio Silver Stars.
Back in November of last year, when Popovich was ejected from a game against the Portland Trail Blazers, Hammon and the rest of the Spurs staff took charge and filled in during his absence. After the game, however, Popovich stated that the veteran and Hall of Famer, Tim Duncan ultimately assumed the head-coaching responsibilities to finish out the game. Duncan was on the team as an assistant and filled in for Popovich.
Sadly this offseason, Duncan stepped down as a full-time coach with the Spurs.
Hammon, who is now forty-three, was named this year as a returning nominee to enter the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as the Class of 2021. Before the game on Wednesday, Popovich was asked about Hammon’s illustrious career and her amazing credentials.
“Obviously, I think very much of her abilities having hired her. That all began when I saw her play,” Popovich said. “She was a leader, everybody on the team reacted to her, she was very confident, very competitive and she led the whole show. And when I got to know her and she was in our coaches meetings before she was hired, while she was hurt after the season, we found out about her knack for the game, her innate understanding of what wins, what loses, what has to be there to make a program. So, she’s got all of the tools necessary to be a heck of a coach in our league.”
Hammon’s appearance as the first woman to assume a head coaching position in the NBA does not only pave a path for women looking to make their mark in the NBA but also helps to create equal opportunities for women in professional sports mainly dominated by men. Although the Spurs were defeated by the Lakers on Wednesday, this may not be the last time Hammon sees action as an interim or full-time head coach.
