Who Is Las Vegas Aces Coach Becky Hammon?

The Las Vegas Aces have become an unstoppable force. They are on the brink of becoming the first team since 2002 to win back-to-back WNBA championships. The team has a perfect balance of experience and youth gelling together on and off the court. While many credit the star power for their successful run, let’s not forget the contributions of their head coach Becky Hammon.

Let’s have a closer look at 16-year-old career of the Aces’ current boss!

The story of ‘Big Shot Becky’

The three time All-American, Becky Hammon entered the world of WNBA in 1999 as a rookie for the New York Liberty. As a backup to Teresa Weatherspoon, her aggressive style of play made her popular among the fans. In 2003, she entered the National Women’s Basketball League and represented Tennessee Fury and Colorado Chill. She was the leading scorer for Tennessee Fury in 2003 with an impressive average of 20.6 points per game.

Her breakout season in the WNBA arrived in 2003 when the talented point-guard became the backbone for the Liberty and provided the much-needed support in the offense. Unfortunately, her knee injury forced her out of the game later that season. Following this, Becky was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars in 2007. Her ability to make shots at crucial points of the game earned her the nickname, ‘Big Shot Becky.’

Furthermore, she made it to the first-team All-WNBA selection in 2009. She also became the seventh WNBA player overall to score 5000 points in 2011. She announced her retirement as a professional player by the end of the 2014 season. Becky made a controversial decision in 2007 when she attained Russian citizenship and represented Russia in the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.

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Everyone realized her potential as a coach during her time at San Antonio. While attending the practice sessions with the popular team of NBA, San Antonio Spurs, Becky came under the influence of their head coach Gregg Popovich.

Becky Hammon scripting history as a coach

Consequently, in 2014, Becky made history when Popovich appointed her as a full-time assistant coach. As a result, she was the first female to be a fully recognized assistant coach in the NBA. In addition to this, Hammon led the Spurs to the NBA Summer League title in 2015. As a result, she became the first woman head coach to do so.

In 2021, the Las Vegas Aces hired Becky Hammon as their head coach. She became the first Russian head coach to win the WNBA championships in 2022. No doubt Becky was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this year for her invaluable contributions, both as a player and a coach.

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Does Becky inspire you by what she has achieved so far? Let us know in the comments below.