Becky Hammon

Rebecca Lynn Hammon (born March 11, 1977) is an American-Russian professional basketball coach and former player who is the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is considered one of the greatest players and coaches in WNBA history, and a pioneer for female coaches in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Hammon played college basketball for the Colorado State Rams, where she was a three-time All-American and left as the program's all-time leader in points and assists. Despite being undrafted, she played 16 seasons in the WNBA, with the New York Liberty and the San Antonio Silver Stars. She was one of the league's premier ball-handlers and passers, earning six WNBA All-Star and four All-WNBA selections. A naturalized Russian citizen, Hammon played for the Russian national team, with whom she won a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame for her playing career in 2023. Hammon was hired by the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA in 2014, becoming the first female full-time assistant coach in a major American sports league. During her tenure with the Spurs, she became the first woman to serve as a head coach in the NBA Summer League or as an acting head coach during an NBA game. Hammon left the Spurs in 2021 to become the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces; she was the first WNBA coach to earn over $1 million per year. She transformed the Aces into a dynasty, winning three WNBA championships in her first four seasons and receiving the WNBA Coach of the Year award as a rookie head coach.