Photo by: Reginald Thomas II/San Antonio Spurs
Becky Hammon Becomes First Female to Head Coach NBA Game
12/31/2020 12:51:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Colorado State Alumna Becky Hammon Continues to Provide Inspiration in her Career
FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Proving yet again there is no limit, Becky Hammon lifted the ceiling on her career and women's advancement Wednesday night as she became the first female in NBA history to assume a head coaching role during a regular season game.
With 3:56 left in the second quarter, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich received his second technical foul – an automatic ejection – and pointed to Hammon, the sixth-year Spurs assistant coach, to assume the duties of head coach. That in its own right is an accomplishment to be the right hand (wo)man to the 24-year veteran that has won five championships and President of the organization. Although brief, it is just another step in Hammon's blossoming career that has become an inspiration to women everywhere even the Vice President-elect Kamala Harris – who is breaking down barriers in her realm.
In the postgame press conference, Hammon acknowledged the feat, but maintained her cool and collective mentality that has gotten her to that point.
"In the moment, I was just trying to win the game," Hammon said after the game. "I say this a lot, but I try not to think about the big picture and the huge aspect of it, because it can be overwhelming. It is my job to go in there and be focused for those guys and make sure I am helping them do the things that will help us win. I really have not had time to reflect. I have not looked at my phone yet, so I have no idea what has been going on outside of the AT&T center tonight."
What has been going on since the moment she took the clipboard to coach the Spurs has been non-stop praise on social media about what this means for Becky Hammon, the sports world and for women.
When the Spurs take to the court next on New Year's Day, she will return to her co-pilot chair next to her Hall of Fame mentor Popovich, but it's only a matter of time until Hammon will fill that position of being the head coach somewhere pacing up and down the sidelines.
Becky Hammon was a part of the winningest four-year stretch in Colorado State women's basketball from 1995-99 and the program's only consensus All-American. She was inducted into the Colorado State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. After a 16-year WNBA career, she was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2015), New York Liberty Ring of Honor (2015) and the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame (2018). Immediately after hanging her career up, she transitioned right into the San Antonio Spurs coaching staff in 2014 and has been there ever since. The latest "first" is one of many that she has had with the Spurs. In 2015, she was the first-ever female to head coach in NBA's summer League and win it. A year later, she became the first-ever female coach to be a part of an All-Star coaching staff.
After Wednesday night, the whole world now is on alert. What's next for Becky Hammon?
For More on Colorado State Women's Basketball follow: Twitter – CSUWBasketball | Instagram – csuwbasketball | Facebook – @CSUWBasketball
With 3:56 left in the second quarter, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich received his second technical foul – an automatic ejection – and pointed to Hammon, the sixth-year Spurs assistant coach, to assume the duties of head coach. That in its own right is an accomplishment to be the right hand (wo)man to the 24-year veteran that has won five championships and President of the organization. Although brief, it is just another step in Hammon's blossoming career that has become an inspiration to women everywhere even the Vice President-elect Kamala Harris – who is breaking down barriers in her realm.
Congrats, @BeckyHammon. You may be the first, but I know you certainly won't be the last. https://t.co/dHXa9JFRWT
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 31, 2020
In the postgame press conference, Hammon acknowledged the feat, but maintained her cool and collective mentality that has gotten her to that point.
"In the moment, I was just trying to win the game," Hammon said after the game. "I say this a lot, but I try not to think about the big picture and the huge aspect of it, because it can be overwhelming. It is my job to go in there and be focused for those guys and make sure I am helping them do the things that will help us win. I really have not had time to reflect. I have not looked at my phone yet, so I have no idea what has been going on outside of the AT&T center tonight."
"It's a big deal. It's a substantial moment." - @BeckyHammon pic.twitter.com/e8UM1Jl0jk
— WNBA (@WNBA) December 31, 2020
What has been going on since the moment she took the clipboard to coach the Spurs has been non-stop praise on social media about what this means for Becky Hammon, the sports world and for women.
When the Spurs take to the court next on New Year's Day, she will return to her co-pilot chair next to her Hall of Fame mentor Popovich, but it's only a matter of time until Hammon will fill that position of being the head coach somewhere pacing up and down the sidelines.
— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) December 31, 2020
Becky Hammon was a part of the winningest four-year stretch in Colorado State women's basketball from 1995-99 and the program's only consensus All-American. She was inducted into the Colorado State University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2004. After a 16-year WNBA career, she was inducted into the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame (2015), New York Liberty Ring of Honor (2015) and the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame (2018). Immediately after hanging her career up, she transitioned right into the San Antonio Spurs coaching staff in 2014 and has been there ever since. The latest "first" is one of many that she has had with the Spurs. In 2015, she was the first-ever female to head coach in NBA's summer League and win it. A year later, she became the first-ever female coach to be a part of an All-Star coaching staff.
After Wednesday night, the whole world now is on alert. What's next for Becky Hammon?
For More on Colorado State Women's Basketball follow: Twitter – CSUWBasketball | Instagram – csuwbasketball | Facebook – @CSUWBasketball
- CSURams.com -