Spurs Hire Former WNBA Player Becky Hammon as Assistant Coach

Fresh off winning the 2014 NBA title, the San Antonio Spurs are making history again, this time by hiring the NBA's first-ever full-time female assistant coach, Becky Hammon.

Hammon is currently still playing in the WNBA (her 16th season) but has announced her plans to retire at season's end, in time to join the Spurs coaching staff. As a player, Hammon was named on of the WNBA’s Top 15 Players of All-Time back in 2011, and she is Top-10 in the league's history in points, assists and games played. More, from the Spurs' official press release:

“I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff,” said Spurs Head Coach Gregg Popovich. “Having observed her working with our team this past season, I’m confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs.”

A six-time WNBA All-Star, Hammon has spent the last eight seasons with the San Antonio Stars. She is the Stars all-time leader in assists (1,112) and three-point field goals made (493) while ranking second in franchise history in points (3,442) and games (218). In 2012 Hammon was the top vote getter for the Stars All-Decade Team.

In her WNBA career Hammon has appeared in 445 regular season games, averaging 13.1 points, 3.8 assists and 2.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes. She has earned All-WNBA First Team honors twice (in 2007 and 2009) and was named to the All-WNBA Second Team in 2005 and 2008.

It's not surprising that the Spurs — one of the NBA's most successful and most progressive teams — would be the first to add a woman to their staff. Hammon was introduced today by the team, and by all accounts was already more pleasant and talkative than Greg Popovich. Shocking, we know. Via Twitter:

If nothing else, Hammon could probably drain a couple threes in crunch time if the Spurs need buckets.

[via NBA]