“I love being here”- Becky Hammon reiterates commitment to WNBA amidst Raptors head coach interest.
On April 27, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Toronto Raptors had received permission to speak with Becky Hammon, the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces, about a potential coaching role in the NBA. Hammon, who led her team to the WNBA championship last season, has long been regarded as a future NBA head coach.
In April, the Toronto Raptors reached out to Becky Hammon’s agent about their vacant head-coaching position.
She could become the first woman to coach a group of men in a major sports setting ti.me/3M5AXbV
However, Hammon has made it clear that she is not currently interested in switching to the NBA. In an interview with Time Magazine, she expressed her love for being in the WNBA and stated that she doesn't need the stamp of approval from the NBA.
“I love being here,” Hammon told Time Magazine. “I love being back on the women’s side. I don’t need the stamp of approval from the NBA.”
The Toronto Raptors are in search of a new head coach after parting ways with Nick Nurse. While they have some talent on their roster, they are at a crossroads between needing a full rebuild or a retooling.
“She is overqualified,” Aces guard Kelsey Plum told Time Magazine, “to be an NBA coach.”
Players like Pascal Siakam, OG Anunoby, Scotty Barnes, and Precious Achiuwa provide a foundation, but it remains uncertain if Hammon would be enticed to leave the Aces and join the NBA.
Nick Nurse is a candidate for Phoenix Suns
As the NBA coaching merry-go-round continues to pick up pace, it would appear that Nick Nurse may not be out of the coaching limelight for long. According to reports, the 2019 championship-winning head coach, who was also named as the 2020 coach of the year, is a leading candidate for the Phoenix Suns.
However, Nick Nurse will face some stiff competition for the job in Phoenix, as Mike Budenholzer (formerly of the Milwaukee Bucks) is also being considered for the gig.
Phoenix Suns are formulating a list of head coaching candidates that includes assistant Kevin Young, Mike Budenholzer and Nick Nurse, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
During his five-year spell with the Toronto Raptors, Nick Nurse amassed a 58.2% winning percentage, with his team winning 227 games over a five-season span. Furthermore, Nick Nurse has developed a reputation as being one of the better tacticians in the NBA.
During his tenure with Toronto, we saw Nick Nurse deploy multiple defensive schemes that are now utilized around the NBA, most notably, the 'box-and-one' - a form of zone defense where one player plays man coverage.
Another candidate who could keep Nick Nurse out of the running in Phoenix is LA Clippers head coach Ty Lue. According to a report by Marc Stein via his SteinLine newsletter, the Phoenix Suns have an interest in the former Cleveland Cavaliers championship coach.
"The Suns, league sources say, are expected to explore the feasibility of trying to lure Tyronn Lue away from the Clippers after tonight's abrupt dismissal of Monty Williams as coach," Stein wrote.
With the 2022-23 NBA season still underway, the Phoenix Suns will be in no rush to appoint their next head coach, Nick Nurse or otherwise.