Who is Becky Hammon? First woman head coach in history of the 4 major US sports leagues

On Wednesday, Becky Hammon made history by becoming the first woman to direct an NBA team after the San Antonio Spurs' head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected against the Los Angeles Lakers. Popovich was dismissed by official Tony Brown with four minutes left in the second quarter of the Spurs' eventual 101-121 defeat against the Lakers. This led to Hammon, assistant coach for the Spurs to take charge of the reins for the remainder of the game. 

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While speaking to reporters after the game, Hammon admitted that she did not walk into the AT&T Center thinking she would be coaching the team but said, "You've just got to roll with it." In fact, Hammon became the first woman in any of the four major US leagues (MLB, NHL, NFL and NBA) to coach a men's team. As expected, netizens were then curious to know more about Becky Hammon with several NBA fans praising the 43-year-old for her historical feat. 

 

Who is Becky Hammon? The first female head coach in NBA history

On Wednesday, Gregg Popovich indirectly laid out the foundation for Becky Hammon to write her name in American sports history. The 71-year-old got ejected for arguing with the officials over an alleged non-call during the Spurs' game against the Lakers. However, while leaving the sidelines, he pointed at Hammon and said, "You got 'em."

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The Spurs were trailing by 11 points at the time when Popovich was ejected, with almost four minutes left in the second quarter. Hammon was officially in charge of the Spurs team for the rest of the game. Unfortunately for the former WNBA star, her first game in charge ended in defeat. However, Hammon received plenty of praise for her ability to take charge of the Spurs. 

Becky Hammon's WNBA career and honours

Becky Hammon had a 16-year playing career in the WNBA during which she played for the New York Liberty from 1999 till 2006 and then spent seven seasons with the San Antonio Stars before calling it quits in 2014. Hammon is a six-time WNBA All-Star. 

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Becky Hammon's time as Spurs assistant coach

Hammon joined the Spurs in August 2014 and became the first woman to join an NBA team's coaching staff. She has worked as assistant coach to Gregg Popovich ever since. She made history on Wednesday by becoming the first woman to direct an NBA game. 

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Image Credits - AP