It was a sweet victory for the San Antonio Spurs as they bagged the championship trophy during the Las Vegas Summer League. Part of the championship win was attributed to Becky Hammon's leadership, as she became the first female head coach in an NBA summer league. Given her experience, industry watchers are thinking Hammon may be ready for an NBA head coach post.
Hammon led the Spurs to a 93-90 victory over the Phoenix Sun on Monday, July 20, reports ESPN. Last year, the Spurs made Hammon a full-time assistant coach and made Hammon the first female to hold the post in NBA history. The Spurs coach described the championship journey as "a grind" and shared that the team bonded over the last two or three games. Hammon, who assumed the head coach position during higher-profile Vegas event, even lauded how the team worked hard together. She said: "They listened, and they played really hard for me. I just really appreciate their attentiveness and alertness. They were tired, but they fought through."
In the ESPN article, Spurs player Jonathan Simmons had nothing but praise for Hammon. Simmons reportedly told NBATV that it was an "amazing" and "humbling experience" for the team. The Las Vegas Summer League MVP described Hammon as a "real cool coach" adding that her being a "player coach" was something that the team liked. "I really love her, and I've only known her a couple days," Simmons said.
League observers have also taken notice of Hammon's coaching skills, reports Yahoo! Sports. Former NBA executive Bobby Marks took to Twitter Tuesday, July 21, to praise the Spurs coach. Marks wrote two messages, one which reads: "I know this is a bold statement. If I was running a team and had a head coaching opening. The first call would be to Becky Hammon." The former Nets assistant general manager also wrote: "Hammon is as qualified as any current assistant coach in the NBA. She is paying her dues and working from the bottom up."
Although there are no open NBA head coaching spots available now, Becky Hammon will be a good candidate for the post should one open up.
