Becky Hammon Becomes San Antonio Spurs' Assistant Coach
The San Antonio Spurs has hired the "first full-time, paid female assistant on an NBA coaching staff," Becky Hammon, ESPN reported.
The announcement was made on Tuesday but the terms of her contract were not revealed.
Hammond is the second female assistant coach in the NBA, added ESPN. "During the 2001-02 season, Cleveland Cavaliers coach John Lucas brought Lisa Boyer into the team's practices and some games. Boyer, now an assistant at South Carolina, was not paid by the Cavaliers and did not travel with the team, but did work with the players and coaches that season. "
According to CBS Sports, Hammon, a naturalized Russian citizen, has played for the WNBA for 16 seasons. She reportedly played for the Russian basketball team in 2008 then participated in the 2012 Olympic Games.
Her NBA record reveals that she was named one of the WNBA's Top 15 Players of All-Time last July 2011. She is set to retire at the end of the 2014 season this month.
In an article by the New York Times, it noted that Hammon accepted the opportunity with all her heart.
"It's a tremendous challenge, and it comes with tremendous responsibility. There have been so many other women that are doing really, really great things, and I'm just kind of following in their paths," Hammon said.
She spent the last season in "an unofficial capacity," the New York Times added, as she had a knee injury last year which has already affected her career.
While she was recovering from the injury, she stayed in San Antonio where the Spurs welcomed her during their practices, coaching meetings and film review session. Hammon was reportedly observing the games on the bench. She also witnessed the team's championship win against the Miami Heat. She referred to her stay with the team as an "internship."
"I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff. 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," said head coach, Gregg Popovich, in an article at the NBA website.
CBS Sports also added that the Spurs have lost two respected assistant coaches last year: Mike Budenholzer and Brett Brown, but the team was able to acquire Jim Boylen, Ettore Messina and finally, Hammon.
In a similar report by KSAT, it was noted that the girls at the Spurs Youth Basketball League were excited that a woman is now a part of the Spurs coaching staff.
Glorien Escalera, a member of the Spurs Youth Basketball League, told KSAT that she admires Hammon and looks up to her.
"I was surprised and happy at the same time, because she's a girl and she gets to help coach the boys. It's good," she said.
The addition of Hammon to the Spurs coaching team will "build the perception"of the team, CBS Sports noted. Most of the members of their roster come from other countries, CBS Sports observed, which has helped in keeping the strength of the organization.