A Rapid City woman made basketball history Wednesday night. Becky Hammon became the first to coach an NBA team… the San Antonio Spurs.
Assistant Coach Hammon took over the Spurs after Head Coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the first half of the game.
The Spurs went on to lose to LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers 121 to 107.
Hammon talked with reporters in a post-game press conference aired on San Antonio’s Fox news station. She says more than anything, she wanted the win.
“Honestly, in the moment I was just trying to win the game,” Hammon says. “I say this a lot, but I try not to think about the huge picture and the huge aspect of it because it can be overwhelming. It’s my job to be focused for those guys and make sure that I’m helping them do the things that will help us win.”
Becky Hammon started her basketball career playing at Stevens High School in Rapid City. The South Dakota Basketball Hall Of Fame says she averaged 26 points per game her senior year. She was named Miss Basketball in 1994. In college she played for Colorado State University. Hammon then played in the WNBA for the New York Liberty and San Antonio Stars.
In 2014, she joined the Spurs as an assistant coach.
When asked about making basketball history, Hammon said, “Obviously, it’s a big deal. It’s a substantial moment.”
-Contact SDPB reporter Lee Strubinger by email.
