On December 30th, 2020, the San Antonio Spurs made history when Becky Hammon became the first woman to act as head coach for an NBA team. She took over for all-time-great coach Gregg Popovich after he was ejected in the second quarter of the Spurs’ contest with the Los Angeles Lakers. When Popovich walked by his team’s bench, he pointed to Hammon and said, “You got it.”
While the Lakers went on to defeat the Spurs by a score of 121-107, it was still a momentous day for the National Basketball Association. Hammon, a former WNBA player, has long had a vital role in the Spurs organization. Hammon already broke the barrier of women getting any coaching role in American professional sports when she became an assistant coach for the Spurs in 2014. Her six years of assistant coaching made her a more than qualified candidate to take over, and while Popovich did not choose her because of her gender, he certainly knew his selection’s significance.
In his post-game presser, Pop told reporters, “I’m not here to make history.” Lakers coach Frank Vogel chimed in by saying, “I’ve talked to her a bunch. … She knows her stuff. She’s here for a reason. … I think she’s going to be a head coach someday.” That day may come sooner rather than later. The Bucks interviewed Hammon in 2018, and while she did not get the job, many expect her to earn a head coaching opportunity in the coming years. Lakers star player Lebron James also weighed in, saying, “Anytime you put in the work, you’re rewarded with opportunities. Tonight was the case where she got to step in and show her worth, talent, and love for the game. Congrats to her and congrats to our league.”
Hammon came into the year as the likely second in command to Popovich due to Hall of Famer Tim Duncan no longer being on the Spurs’ staff. However, Hammon said she did not expect the coaching role if Popovich was ejected. “We don’t have a lot of discussions like that. We just roll with the punches. When Pop gives us an order, we go with it.” Hammon said she came into the game to help the Spurs win. She said while she acknowledged the game’s significance, it was a disappointment because the Spurs lost.
The Fieldston community took note of the day and its broader implications. Ryuichi Nitta (IV), a member of the varsity tennis team and an avid sports fan said, “Diversity comes in all shapes and sizes. It is great to see Becky Hammon get this role, but the eventual goal should be for this to not be such a spectacle. Eventually, people of all identities — in this case, gender — should be given professional sports opportunities based on their qualifications and ability to guide a team to championships. When that time comes, I am confident that the Fieldston community will be there to cheer on whoever gets an opportunity.”
