# What kind of learning curve does WNBA star Becky Hammon face as a Spurs Assistant Coach? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 5, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-learning-curve-does-wnba-star-becky-hammon-face-as-a-spurs-assistant-coach/694906 "2014-08-05T23:38:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-learning-curve-does-wnba-star-becky-hammon-face-as-a-spurs-assistant-coach/694906/1 "2014-08-05T23:38:53Z")
I wish Becky Hammon good luck and success. But the differences in the mens and women’s game are significant. A lot of experienced male coaches have struggled coaching women’s basketball. Nolan Richardson failed spectacularly. Arkansas just hired Jimmy Dykes and we’ll soon find out if he coach and win in the women’s league. I’m surprised some of the great female collage coaches haven’t moved into NBA positions. First as assistants and then head coaching. Is this just a PR stunt? What chances does Becky Hammon have? > **[San Antonio Spurs Hire Becky Hammon as N.B.A.’s First Female Full-Time Coach...](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/06/sports/basketball/spurs-hire-becky-hammon-as-nbas-first-full-time-female-coach.html)** > > Hammon, 37, the former Liberty player who is retiring after a 16-season playing career in the W.N.B.A., spent much of last season in an unofficial capacity with the Spurs. > [@](#): > > Becky Hammon, who is retiring this month from a 16-season playing career in the W.N.B.A., will join the San Antonio Spurs as an assistant coach next season, the N.B.A. team announced Tuesday. > > Hammon, 37, becomes the second woman to serve on an N.B.A. coaching staff. The first was Lisa Boyer, who was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ staff in the 2001-02 season. Boyer, however, worked part time and was not paid by the team. Hammon has been hired to a full-time, paid position. > > “It’s a tremendous challenge, and it comes with tremendous responsibility,” Hammon said Tuesday. “There have been so many other women that are doing really, really great things, and I’m just kind of following in their paths.” ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-learning-curve-does-wnba-star-becky-hammon-face-as-a-spurs-assistant-coach/694906/2 "2014-08-06T12:59:53Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m surprised some of the great female collage coaches haven’t moved into NBA positions. First as assistants and then head coaching. Aside from the possible effects of sexism, not every college coach moves into the pro game. They’re very different, and a coach with years of success in college might not see a gig as an NBA assistant as a promotion. Only a small portion of them go to the NBA just like most NBA assistants don’t become head coaches. > [@](#): > > Is this just a PR stunt? Why would the Spurs bother with a PR stunt? There is no team that could need the PR less. [I think they just hire who they want to hire.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ettore_Messina) > [@](#): > > What chances does Becky Hammon have? Well, she’s been a professional basketball player for 16 years and just got hired by the best franchise in North American pro sports. I know guys can dunk and play above the rim more and she’s new to the NBA itself, but I think she’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-learning-curve-does-wnba-star-becky-hammon-face-as-a-spurs-assistant-coach/694906/3 "2014-08-06T18:23:09Z")
That article was either updated or I missed this the first time: Hammon worked with the Spurs all last season while she rehabbed from an injury, so she is familiar with the team and how they operate. I don’t think she could be in a better position to succeed. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-learning-curve-does-wnba-star-becky-hammon-face-as-a-spurs-assistant-coach/694906/4 "2014-08-06T20:38:51Z")
Speaking as a casual Spurs fan… I’m a bit surprised by the hire, but since Gregg Popovich is the best and smartest coach in the NBA, if HE says Becky Hammon is smart enough and capable enough to do the job and help the team, I’m more than willing to take his word for it. Popovich is no flaming liberal/progressive type. He’s not the type to make a hire based on political correctness. He’s seen her at work long enough to determine that she knows what she’s doing. Interestingly, Popovich also hired the great Italian coach Ettore Messina as an assistant. I wonder if and when Messina will get a well-deserved chance to be a head coach in the NBA.