Becky Hammon made history when she became the first female head coach in NBA summer league. Leading the San Antonio Spurs to the Las Vegas Summer League championship just made the experience that much sweeter.
Hammon coached the Spurs to a 93-90 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday in the title game.
“It was a grind,” Hammon said. “They’ve been together for 17 days. They really started to jell the last two or three games. They listened, and they played really hard for me. I just really appreciate their attentiveness and alertness. They were tired, but they fought through.”
Jonathon Simmons scored 23 points and took home MVP honors in the championship game. Treveon Graham added 22 points for the Spurs.
“It’s amazing. It was a humbling experience for all of us,” Simmons told NBATV of playing for Hammon. “I really love her, and I’ve only known her a couple days. She’s a real cool coach. She’s a player coach. That’s something we all like.”
Last year, the Spurs made Hammon the first female full-time assistant coach in NBA history. Earlier this summer, they told her she would lead the team in Las Vegas.
“She’s a firecracker. She takes no prisoners. She’s got a great personality,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said last season. “She knows her stuff. She’s competitive.”
“You never know what your journey has in store,” Hammon said, according to Sports Illustrated. “You just work hard and keep your nose to the grind. You do things the right way, you treat people the right way, and good things happen. … I’m just thankful that [Popovich] trusted me with the guys in that locker room and that those guys trusted me back.”
