ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith has once again urged NBA franchises to give Becky Hammon the opportunity to become the league’s first female head coach, following her latest championship triumph with the Las Vegas Aces.
Smith argued that Hammon’s resume leaves little doubt about her qualifications, pointing to her tactical acumen and prior NBA experience. He emphasized that if men are permitted to coach in the WNBA, then women should be afforded the same chance in the NBA.
“I’ve said this many times, and I’ll say it again, she deserves to coach in the NBA,” Stephen A. Smith declared. “If a man can coach in the WNBA, then a woman should be allowed to coach in the NBA. If I owned a team, I’d give her the chance. That woman knows what she’s doing.”
Becky Hammon’s coaching credentials are extensive. After a 16‑year playing career in the WNBA, she joined Gregg Popovich’s staff with the San Antonio Spurs in 2014. She made history in 2015 by guiding the Spurs’ Summer League squad to a championship, becoming the first female coach to achieve that milestone.
Despite interviewing for several NBA head coaching vacancies, Becky Hammon was repeatedly overlooked. Supporters have long contended that gender bias played a role in those decisions. Instead, she accepted Mark Davis’ offer in 2021 to lead the Las Vegas Aces, signing a deal reportedly worth over $1 million annually, making her the first female head coach to surpass that salary mark.
Stephen A. Smith also criticized the imbalance between the leagues, noting that men have historically dominated WNBA head coaching positions. Roughly three‑quarters of the league’s history has featured male head coaches, though recent seasons have seen more women in those roles. In 2025, women slightly outnumbered men on the sidelines, yet six male head coaches still remained in the WNBA, while the NBA has never had a female head coach.
Hammon’s results with Las Vegas have been emphatic. Over four seasons, she has compiled a 117‑43 regular season record and a 28‑9 playoff mark. Her Aces have now captured three championships in four years, and she was named WNBA Coach of the Year in 2022.
“Becky Hammon has been a staple in basketball, period,” Smith said. “It’s time the NBA recognizes that.”
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