Longtime WNBA star Becky Hammon has been preparing for her post-playing career – and she already has her first opportunity. Following the conclusion of the current WNBA season, her 16th in the league, Hammon will stay in San Antonio and join the Spurs’ coaching staff as an assistant coach – a breakthrough for a female in the NBA.
Becky Hammon and Tully Bevilaqua were teammates in 2012 and 2013.
One of her former teammates, Tully Bevilaqua, isn’t shocked at all by her career path and praised the Spurs for the progressive hire.
“For me, it’s not a surprise Becky is going straight into a coaching role,” Bevilaqua said Tuesday night. “I think that was pretty much a natural progression for her. But I had to do a double-take, I must admit. When I read the story, I automatically in my head read ‘San Antonio Stars,’ and then I was like ‘Shoot! That’s the Spurs!’ And then I was seeing all the comments and obviously my Facebook status was lighting up. I was like ‘Wow.'”
Bevilaqua played alongside Hammon in both 2011 and 2012 as a part of the Silver Stars. Following the 2012 season, Bevilaqua retired.
A torn left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in Hammon’s left knee, her second ACL tear of her career, caused her to miss all but one game during the 2013 campaign. Despite that, she remained active with the team and also got involved with the Spurs organization.
“I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said in the release announcing the hire. “Having observed her working with our team this past season, I’m confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs.”
Hammon recently discussed that experience in an Inside Stuff feature on NBA TV. Click here to watch.
The six-time All-Star has played for just two teams, eight summers with both the New York Liberty and the San Antonio Silver Stars. Bevilaqua said Hammon has always been vocal, and was frequently involved in decisions made in huddles.
“It’s the natural thing for her,” she said. “There’s that automatic input from her and I think the players always were expecting that anyway because yeah, she was a captain and obviously one of the major players on the team. They were looking to her a lot anyway for that extension of the coach on the court.
“You know what, she’ll do great. She’s going to hold her own. She will command the attention of the guys because she knows what she’s talking about, she can verbalize it in a way they will (understand), and she’ll make them listen to her. I think that will just give her the respect that she deserves anyway because of Becky Hammon, her career, and what she’s achieved.”
Hammon isn’t the first woman to get involved in the NBA, but it’s very rare. Lisa Boyer, now the associate head coach for South Carolina, was a volunteer assistant for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2001-02. However, it wasn’t a full-time position. She didn’t travel with the team and was paid by the Rockers, the WNBA franchise, USA Today reported.
Last month, the Los Angeles Clippers had assistant video coordinator Natalie Nakase sit on the bench and assist during the Las Vegas Summer League. (Many teams, including the Pacers, have their video coordinators gain on-the-court experience by coaching in the summer.)
Nancy Lieberman greatly helped break barriers, heading up the Texas Legends of the NBA Developmental League in 2010. In doing so, she became the first woman to coach a men’s professional team.
“Congrats to my friend Becky Hammon for being hired by the San Antonio Spurs as Asst. Coach,” Lieberman tweeted after the announcement. “So proud of everything she’s accomplished. This is a great day for women, the NBA and the Spurs.”
The immediate feedback was outstanding – and very loud – once the news became public. It was all very positive. Others, particularly those in the basketball world, recognize the significance as Hammon goes down an unpaved road.
“It’s great for women in sports,” said Bevilaqua. “It’s a breakthrough in a male dominated field. There’s been a couple of females that have been involved in Summer Leagues and the D-League – obviously thinking to Nancy Lieberman when she was the head coach of a D-League team. This is the NBA now, and hopefully that’ll eventually open up more doors because it’s the same game. Women understand the sports just as much and I think it just takes someone like Becky now to pave the way.”