WNBA's Best: 5 Players working in prominent NBA roles
One simple way to mark real progress in the league is to appoint talented women at positions of authority. It's important for basketball, business and society itself, in ways beyond our imagination, to have women in positions of power.
The NBA has been widely acclaimed to be open to equality and has made considerable efforts in the fields of social issues concerning diversity. But at the same time, it moves hand-in-hand with a stained legacy when it comes to females. Recent scandals pertaining to sexual harassment and improper workplace conduct pushed them further back on this scale.
The resurgence mission is underway though. The league has already planned workshops in Atlanta and Los Angeles in mid-November on the diversity and inclusion efforts, and things look a bit brighter now.
Sue Bird was recently appointed the Basketball Operations Associate by the Denver Nuggets and this seems like an apt time to look into some of the women who are spearheading the front. So, let's get to it.
#1 Becky Hammon - Spurs Assistant Coach
Hammon started her coaching career in 2014 when she was hired as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, making her only the second female coach in NBA history.
In June of 2018, Becky Hammon was promoted by the Spurs to fill the spot vacated by James Borrego on the team’s roster of assistant coaches. Hammon had till then, been among the assistants that sat just behind the Spurs bench, but this move meant she would be in the front row sitting alongside Popovich in the ongoing season.
A 6-time WNBA All-Star and the 2007 WNBA assists leader, Hammon's valuable contribution made an impression on Pop, who has repeatedly vouched for the inclusion of more women in the coaching domain.
“I think there just has to be more, more of the same,” said Popovich. “There are more Beckys out there, they just have to be noticed and given the opportunity by people who are wise enough and courageous enough to do it and not just sit in the old paradigm.”
Becky is one of the very few to have their jersey (#25) retired by the San Antonio Spurs. She was included in the WNBA's Top 15 players of the all-time list in 2011.