Report: Spurs Assistant Becky Hammon Targeted for Aces, Liberty Jobs

With the Spurs fighting on the periphery of the hunt to make the playoffs, the team's top assistant coach could be on the move.

Becky Hammon is reportedly being targeted as a potential head coach by the Las Vegas Aces and New York Liberty of the WNBA, according to Chantel Jennings and Shams Charania of The Athletic. Hammon has mutual interest in making a move.

The Liberty parted ways with head coach Walt Hopkins after two seasons earlier this month, though the Aces job is currently occupied by veteran coach Bill Laimbeer. Should Hammon accept the Las Vegas job, Laimbeer will reportedly move into a different role within the organization. 

Hammon, 44, has been an assistant with the Spurs for the past six seasons, and has been at the front of the team’s bench since 2018. She spent half of her 16-year playing career with the Liberty, and was a six-time WNBA All-Star.

Hammon has been the head coach of the Spurs during the summer league in past seasons, and filled in during the regular season last year when Gregg Popovich was ejected on Dec. 30, 2020.

In an interview with SI’s Michael Pina in August, Hammon reaffirmed her desire to one day be a head coach, adding that she’s learned a lot from the process of interviewing for head coaching jobs in the NBA.

“I think I get better every time I go through it and walk through that door. But at the end of the day, an organization is gonna hire me because I’m the best coach for the job,” Hammon said. “And all the stuff that comes after that will come. There’s no stopping that tidal wave. And I think, for me, it’s always a fine line of not overlooking or underestimating or downplaying the moment. But my primary focus has to be to become the best coach that I can be, and be there for my players, for whatever organization is the right fit for me.”