Becky Hammon becomes first woman in NBA history to act as head coach
Becky Hammon made NBA history on Wednesday night, becoming the first woman to ever assume the role of head coach during the San Antonio Spurs-Los Angeles Lakers game.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the second quarter, leaving the duties to his longtime assistant Hammon the rest of the way.
"She’s one of us. When she speaks, we are all ears. It’s great having her," said DeMar DeRozan.
"Becky’s definitely been instrumental for us. She’s quick on her feet, understanding defensive coverages, where we should be."
"Obviously, it's a big deal," Hammon said of the accomplishment, per ESPN's Dave McMenamin. "It's a substantial moment."
"He officially pointed at me. That was it. He said, 'You got 'em.'"@BeckyHammon was named head coach of the @spurs by Gregg Popovich in the most Pop way possible tonight 😂 #GoSpursGo pic.twitter.com/Vha2YCwFKV
— FOX Sports Southwest (@FOXSportsSW) December 31, 2020
The Spurs ended up dropping the contest to LeBron James and the Lakers, 121-107. But the impact of what just happened significantly outweighs the result. The next time we see Hammon on the sidelines, it very well could be in command of her own NBA team.