Hammon, Popovich’s former pupil, reveals her happiness in the WNBA and opens the door to a possible return to the NBA

Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon, former assistant for the San Antonio Spurs under Gregg Popovich, expressed her satisfaction with her current role, without ruling out a possible return to the NBA in the future.

On Friday, it was announced that Popovich will step down as head coach to assume the team’s president of basketball operations. Mitch Johnson, who served as interim coach after Popovich suffered a mild stroke in November, will take the reins of the Spurs.

Hammon, who coached the Aces in their first preseason game on Friday against Dallas at Notre Dame’s Purcell Pavilion, was Popovich’s assistant from 2014 to 2021. She became the first woman to be interim head coach in the NBA after Popovich was ejected from a game in 2020.

Despite her ties to the Spurs organization, Hammon feels very comfortable in the WNBA.

I am very happy where I am. I couldn’t pass up this opportunity… I bet on myself instead of waiting for a chance in the NBA. I have enjoyed being back in women’s basketball. They know I am effusive about my love for this team and for being back in the women’s game.

Becky Hammon

Hammon, 48, played 16 seasons in the WNBA, the last eight in San Antonio, and joined Popovich’s staff after retiring from the WNBA when the Stars were eliminated from the 2014 playoffs. She joined the Aces in late 2021 and became the first rookie coach to guide her team to a WNBA championship in 2022, and then won another title in 2023. Hammon was a candidate for the Portland Trail Blazers coaching vacancy in 2021. She was also the first woman to be head coach of an NBA summer league team.

In three seasons with the Aces, Hammon has a record of 87-29.

If I were to ever take that leap again, it has to be the right fit, the right time, in front of the right people, with the right team.

Becky Hammon

Hammon credited Popovich as “a big reason” for her being a head coach and texted him Friday after learning the news.

He was the one who guided me, who literally spent thousands of hours with me. I was there for eight years. That’s a lot of games, a lot of practices, a lot of coaches’ meetings. So yes, my heart is a little heavy for him because I know how much he loves it, but I’m sure he’ll do this role just as well.

Becky Hammon