Becky Hammon’s return to the WNBA will be one of the biggest storylines of the league’s 26th season.
Hammon made in history in 2014 when she was hired as the first full-time female assistant in the NBA, and many expected her to become the first woman to become an NBA head coach. In early December, she surprised fans in both leagues when she accepted an offer to become the Las Vegas Aces head coach, signing a landmark deal as, according to sources, the highest-paid coach in league history.
For now, she’ll be balancing duties with the Spurs and Aces until San Antonio’s season ends. On Friday night, during the Spurs’ pregame against the 76ers, she chatted with The Athletic about her decision to leave the NBA, how she’ll approach WNBA free agency and how she views the league.
(Lightly edited for clarity.)
When most people make a career decision, they think about how it impacts them and their family. With you being who you are in the NBA, how much were you thinking about what this decision would mean to other people as well?
Hammon: It definitely weighs on your mind, for sure. Because I know for me, I felt like I was on this path doing this and I’m still on the path, right? This is the coaching path. This is what I’m doing. And just because of the movement, or like moving the needle or even the progress that has been made, you always want to make more (progress). And so, you want more representation. You want the needle to move faster. And so, yeah, I would be lying if I didn’t say it crossed my mind, for sure. It crosses my mind. It can’t be the main factor.
