Perhaps it seemed out of the blue on a Tuesday afternoon in early August that the San Antonio Spurs would make sports history. Becky Hammon isn't just going to appear on San Antonio's bench out of nowhere come fall. She isn't going to have to introduce herself to the Spurs players or spend a lot of time and energy getting acquainted with coach Gregg Popovich and his staff.
Hammon is already more to this franchise than the star women's player on its sister WNBA team. She has been part of the family for months, a presence long before she became a pioneer when Popovich hired her to become the first full-time female assistant coach in league history. It's never been about a woman thing. It's, 'Hey, she's got a great basketball mind, and we think she'd be a great addition. Hammon, 37, didn't go overseas this season.
She stayed in the United States to rehabilitate after surgery to repair a torn knee ligament that ended her WNBA season after just one game. She talked to Stars coach Dan Hughes about her desire to coach after her career was over and asked Hughes if he could put in a word for her with Popovich. Initially, Hammon said she just wanted to "peek my head in" on a few Spurs practices. I would love to show you the ropes. Hammond's "internship," as she called it, included sitting in on coaches meetings and film sessions.
She went to practice, directed drills and worked with players. During games, Hammon sat behind the Spurs bench taking it all in. She immersed herself in the X's and O's, the details that are her passion. She relished the conversations with the coaches, the dialogue and the options. It's the part of the game I've always loved.
I have a very cerebral approach to basketball. That's as simple as you can put it, and a lot of people don't figure that out. Hammon, who will retire at the end of this season to cap a year WNBA career, said she always felt like she has had "a little coaching in me. I'm comfortable with my basketball IQ, and I think coaching comes naturally to me. This is obviously a huge opportunity, but it's basketball and I'm very confident in that area. I'm not coming in here thinking otherwise.
