Becky Hammon is on top of the world. On Friday, October 10, her team, the Las Vegas Aces, captured the WNBA championship, cementing their dominance in the league. With this latest title, Hammon has further solidified her status as one of the most respected coaches in women’s basketball, a figure whose leadership continues to leave a distinct mark on the sport.
With so many achievements piling up in recent years, her career could very well be Hall of Fame material. Nothing in her journey has been gifted or easy. Everything Hammon has achieved is the result of relentless work, discipline, and an unwavering passion for the game.
Now, with three WNBA titles and a legacy that keeps growing, NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith believes it might be time for Hammon to be considered for the next frontier, an opportunity in the NBA, where she could bring her basketball IQ and leadership to a franchise seeking both credibility and success.
I’m here to tell you something right now, Becky Hammon, as head coach for the Las Vegas Aces, I’ve said this on many occasions and I’ll say it again, she deserves to coach in the NBA,” Smith said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. “If a man can coach in the WNBA… If I owned an NBA team, I would not mind giving her a chance as the head coach of my franchise because that woman knows what she’s doing.
Smith’s statement isn’t just high praise, it’s a challenge to NBA executives to recognize that talent knows no gender. Hammon has built a résumé that stands tall beside many of her male counterparts, and her strategic mind, leadership, and success under pressure make her a serious candidate to become the first woman to lead an NBA team. The modern era of sports, one that celebrates inclusion and merit, seems ready for such a step.
Becky Hammon’s career
Rebecca Lynn Hammon was born on March 11, 1977, in South Dakota. Standing at just 5-foot-6, she defied every stereotype about height and potential in professional basketball. She began her journey as an undrafted player but earned her spot with the New York Liberty in 1999 through sheer determination and skill. In 2004, she joined the San Antonio Stars, where she became one of the most consistent and respected point guards in the WNBA before retiring a decade later, in 2014.
That same year, she transitioned into coaching, joining Gregg Popovich’s staff with the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant coach, a historic step for women in professional basketball. In 2020, when Popovich was ejected during a game against the Lakers, Hammon made history by stepping in to lead the team, becoming the first woman ever to serve as acting head coach in an NBA game.
By the end of 2021, she was officially named head coach of the Las Vegas Aces. Since then, her leadership has transformed the franchise into a powerhouse, and as the saying goes, the rest is history.
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