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Becky Hammon will interview for head coaching jobs with the Portland Trail Blazers and the Orlando Magic.
There’s movement on the NBA head coaching front, with the latest buzz revolving around the Portland Trail Blazers and the Orlando Magic.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, longtime San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is among five initial candidates on the Blazers’ list as they conduct their search for their next head coach to replace Terry Stotts. The other candidates include LA Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups, University of South Carolina coach and USA women’s coach Dawn Staley, Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni and Spurs executive Brent Barry.
Charania also reports that in addition to the Blazers, Hammon will get an interview with the Magic for their head coaching gig to potentially replace Steve Clifford.
Becky Hammon has two interviews lined up
This is great news for Hammon and hopefully for more diversity in the NBA. Earlier this season, Hammon became the first woman to serve as an acting NBA head coach when she filled in for an ejected Gregg Popovich. Hammon has long been touted as the most likely candidate to eventually become the association’s first female head coach, and though she’s interviewed for several jobs over the last few years, she hasn’t gotten her chance yet.
Staley is another welcome name on the list as the NBA attempts to be more inclusive, and like Hammon, her resume makes her a more than worthy candidate for the Blazers job.
Following a prestigious WNBA playing career, Hammon became an assistant coach with the Spurs in 2014, and she’s been there ever since. Some believe she’s lined up to succeed Pop down in San Antonio whenever he decides to retire, but no one knows when that will be or if that is in fact the plan. Hammon being the next coach of the Spurs would be the perfect story, but if another NBA team offers her the position, she should seize that opportunity.