Symbol of tenacity and professionalism, Bekcy Hammon recently had the honor of seeing a mural being unveiled in San Antonio in his honor. We see the young Becky Hammon (or a young girl wearing her swimsuit), from the back, looking at the portrait of the one who has now been Gregg Popovich’s assistant for six seasons, with the inscription “Never Stop” at the top of the fresco.
The opportunity for the former exceptional player who shone as much in Europe as in the United States during her professional career to recall that her career was strewn with pitfalls, but that she does not count on stop there. On the contrary, Becky Hammon intends to continue to hang on to become the first woman to be appointed coach in the NBA, and inspire many little girls around the world to follow her journey.
“In San Antonio, the path I am blazing is a path of resilience”, she said in a sixty-second clip directed by Cadillac. “I have been underestimated my whole life. People would say: ‘You are not good enough, you do not match what we are looking for. I wouldn’t change the fact that I wasn’t in high demand from South Dakota (where she grew up to high school). I wasn’t drafted, but I played 16 years in the WNBA, I was an All-Star. I was the one we chose last. But I wouldn’t change any of that. Seeing doors close in front of me took me to where I am today. It was the blows and failures that allowed me to grow up being tougher. The biggest barriers I have been able to cross are the ones I have in my own head. I’m not going to stop and I will be a “head coach” one day. When I walk through the door of my house, the best thing I can do is give my best and allow other girls to follow in my footsteps ”.
During the offseason, Becky Hammon was interviewed for the post of head coach with the Pacers and was part of the “short list” of the Knicks.
But the most plausible option would be to see her take over from Gregg Popovich when the Spurs technician hangs up for good. In the “bubble”, the latter had notably allowed him to put on the costume of “head coach” during a match in order to support him in his development as a future main coach.
