“She gets to coach one of the best, A’ja Wilson”: When Dawn Staley and Sheryl Swoopes approved Aces’ appointment of Becky Hammon
When Becky Hammon made the move to become head coach of the nba/las-vegas-aces" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-is-sponsored="false">Las Vegas Aces in 2022, it caught plenty by surprise. Fellow former WNBA stars Dawn Staley and Sheryl Swoopes discussed the move, and both were in heavy approval of the decision.
In an episode of the "NETLIFE with Dawn Staley" podcast uploaded to YouTube in March 2022, the South Carolina coach had Swoopes on as a special guest as they spoke about Hammon going from the NBA as an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs to the WNBA as a head coach. (Start at 1:05:26)
"I think it's amazing, and I think Becky's going to do great things for the league, great things for the Aces. But I don't think that's a step down. Do I think Becky Hammon wanted to be a head coach in the NBA? I do. I mean, I think it was pretty obvious, because she was interviewing for positions, but I also think Becky just wanted to be a head coach, right?" Swoopes said.
"I think she got to a point where, as an assistant coach, she had exceeded expectations, and now to be given an opportunity to run her own team, be in charge of her, her team players. I think it's a great position for her, and I think there's a lot that she has to bring and offer women in the WNBA, so I'm excited to see what she's going to do with that team."
Dawn Staley then shared her thoughts on Hammon's appointment in Las Vegas.
"She gets to coach one of the best, A'ja Wilson. So she got those Aces a championship, because if she doesn't, she gonna have some mad game cut women's basketball fans mad," Dawn Staley said.
Aces star A'ja Wilson compared Becky Hammon to Dawn Staley
Dawn Staley and Becky Hammon have accomplished a lot in their basketball careers, both as players and coaches. They have also had the privilege of coaching the best in the sport, most notably A'ja Wilson.
Per the AP in July 2024, Wilson sees similarities between the two coaches.
“It makes my job a lot easier because I know I’m never alone. Her and Coach Staley are so familiar in that sense. It’s like, ‘I’m going to coach you and I’m going to push you hard. At the same time, I’m going to love you even harder.’
"And I love that because it allows me to make mistakes and allows me to not be perfect. In some cases, I try to be perfect and they always bring me back down to earth,” Wilson said.
Wilson is on pace for the Basketball Hall of Fame when her playing career comes to a close. She won a national championship with Staley in 2017 and two WNBA titles with Hammon in 2022 and 2023. Her resume will continue to stack up with accomplishments and awards, as she has her two coaches to thank.