Photo Courtesy of The WNBA.As the NFL continues to come under fire for its questionable attitudes towards women, the NBA may have proved that of all the professional sports organizations in America, it just might be the most progressive.
The defending champion San Antonio Spurs have hired WNBA legend Becky Hammon as an assistant coach, making her the first woman to join a team's coaching staff in the league's history.
"I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said in a statement. "Having observed her working with our team this past season, I'm confident her basketball IQ, work ethic, and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs."
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Hammon currently plays for the San Antonio Silver Stars, and plans to end her 16 year career at the end of this season. The 37 year-old South Dakota native is a six-time WNBA All-Star, is seventh all-time in points scored, and fourth all-time in assists.
Clearly, she knows her hoops.
Popovich — who is widely considered one of the best coaches the game has ever seen — noticed that Hammon had her eye on coaching, and invited her to attend practices last season.
"She knows when to talk, and she knows when to shut up," he added. "That's as simple as you can put it, and a lot of people don't figure that out. She knows how to do it, and our players really respond to her. She's just a natural." (Sports Illustrated)