Spurs assistant Becky Hammon made more history last night becoming the first female to head coach an NBA game after Gregg Popovich was T’d up and ejected in the first half of the Spurs‘ 121-107 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.
“Obviously, it’s a big deal,” Hammon said after the game. “It’s a substantial moment. I’ve been a part of this organization, I got traded here in 2007, so I’ve been in San Antonio and part of the Spurs and sports organization with the Stars and everything for 13 years. So I have a lot of time invested, and they have a lot of time invested in me, in building me and getting me better.”
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As far as how everything transgressed after Pop’s ejection, Hammon mentioned that there was little ceremony in the move with the longtime San Antonio head coach making it seem like another decision made as he was getting ready to make his way back to the locker room.
“He officially pointed at me. That was it. … That was it,” Hammon said. “Said, ‘You got ’em,’ and that was it. Very Pop-like.”
From there Hammon stood up to the challenge.
The Spurs were able to get as close as five in the second quarter against the defending champion Lakers and got as close as eight in the second half.
Last season, Pop was ejected 63 seconds into a game against the Denver Nuggets so there’s probably a pretty good chance that for former six-time WNBA All-Star Hammon gets another shot to head coach an NBA game with the Spurs.
