Matt Loede
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Few could have predicted that a first half ejection Wednesday night of San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich would lead to history in the NBA in a game between the Spurs and Los Angeles Lakers.
The history came from former WNBA star and now Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon, who became the first woman to serve as a head coach during a regular-season NBA game.
Since being hired by the Spurs as an assistant back in 2014, she became the first female full-time assistant coach in NBA history, and has been working towards eventually being the first head coach in the league’s history.
Becky Hammon took over head coaching duties for the Spurs after Pop was ejected.
She is the first woman to serve as head coach in an NBA game. pic.twitter.com/Cp8r0Sj0w3
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 31, 2020
Hammon has served the Spurs in a number of different ways in an effort to move up the ranks and eventually become a head coach. She led the organization’s Summer League Team, and was a part of the Spurs’ rotation of head coaches last year in scrimmages before the NBA restarted in the Orlando bubble.
The Spurs dropped the decision in Hammon’s history-making game, losing to the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers 121-107, but it didn’t overshadow the moment for the 43-year-old South Dakota native.
“Obviously, it’s a big deal,” Hammon said after the game.
“It’s a substantial moment. I’ve been a part of this organization. I got traded here in 2007, so I’ve been in San Antonio and part of the Spurs and sports organization with the Stars and everything for 13 years.
“So I have a lot of time invested, and they have a lot of time invested in me, in building me and getting me better.”
LeBron James, who turned 36 on Wednesday, celebrated his birthday with 26 points in the win for the Lakers, and spoke about the history-making event after the victory.
“Obviously, she’s been paying her dues over the last few years, and Coach Pop has given her the opportunity,” James said.
“It’s a beautiful thing just to hear her barking out calls, barking out sets. She’s very passionate about the game. Congrats to her and congrats for our league.”
Yawn
Hooray! Another first, another first.
We are truly watching history being made.
We can all move on now that King James has spoken.
Assistant coach fills in for head coach after he’s ejected. In other news, the sun rose today.
Since it was so important a time in NBA wokeness Adam Silver declared Spurs winner of the game and the media screamed that’s not enough.
BFD
HEY! She got to sit her a** on the bench in the number 1 chair. It’s a win for the spurs. (period)
She may even be a better coach than “popaloadavich”.
Since he is so woke he can’t sleep, name her HC for the remainder of the year. Step down and see.
My bet is they are a better team, not because she is a woman, because she is a better coach.
Good for her, not a bad thing at all. The endless “firsts” is annoying though.
She’s probably as good or better a coach than Pop since he’s more focused on activism now.
Good job, you’re 0-1
This is ironically what is going to happen if Joe Biden gets inaugurated.
Correct me if I’m wrong; doesn’t the NBA want more black head coaches because the majority of the players are black men? Then why the hell are they celebrating a white woman taking a black man’s place? Let the woke wars begin.
More orchestrated NBA bullshit. I only hope when she lays down the law the players have as much respect for her as they do all the other coaches in the league.
Congrats to her! I’m not sure this was as orchestrated as some others are making it out to be. She’s been on the staff since 2014, and took the back seat to others like Tim Duncan in years past when Pop got tossed.