New FSM Feature: Aces Hire Becky Hammon as Head Coach Ahead of 2022 Season

FSM Feature: Aces Hire Becky Hammon as Head Coach Ahead of the 2022 Season

Franchise Sports Media

After a disappointing end to an otherwise superb 2021 season, the Las Vegas Aces have made organizational moves ahead of the 2022 campaign. They broke the news of a significant signing as the new calendar year loomed.

In case you missed it, the Las Vegas Aces have hired Becky Hammon to be the team’s new head coach for the 2022 WNBA season, first reported by Chantel Jennings and Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal is reportedly a record-setting one for a WNBA head coach.

Hammon, a current assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs, played 16 seasons in the WNBA, splitting time with the New York Liberty and San Antonio Stars. Of course, the Stars eventually relocated to Las Vegas to be rebranded as the Aces. The former 16-year WNBA point guard recently received recognition by the league as a member of the “W25” — “a collection of the 25 greatest and most influential players in WNBA history.”

After a legendary WNBA playing career, Hammon transitioned to coaching in 2014 when she became an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs. The hiring made her the second female coach in NBA history. Another noteworthy accolade in her coach career includes in 2015 when she became the first female head coach in NBA Summer League history when she coached the Spurs into a Summer League championship. She became the first female to act as head coach in an NBA game when she took over for an ejected Gregg Popovich during a 2020 regular-season game.

Leadership 🗣🗣#FBF to @BeckyHammon mic'd up at the 2019 Summer League with the @spurs.

Who's ready to see her in the @LVAces huddle?? 🙋‍♀️ pic.twitter.com/23vmHmoylG

— WNBA (@WNBA) December 31, 2021

On Monday afternoon, Coach Hammon spoke on her excitement for the upcoming season during her introductory press conference.

Hammon brings a ton of experience, knowledge, and an immense amount of respect to both the WNBA and the Las Vegas Aces. This organization retired Hammon’s jersey and hung it in the rafters of Michelob Ultra Arena back in September of 2021. She’ll inherit one of the more talented rosters in the league, including four Tokyo Olympic gold medalists, two former Sixth Woman of the Year winners, a former MVP, and multiple scoring champions entering free agency. The Aces figure be in play for a championship run in 2022.

“How can I not be a part of this group?” said Hammon as she responded to an opening question from Pepper Persley of Dish With Pepper. “You just could feel that they were building something special. I’m super excited to be back in the W. I’m super excited to lead this group of girls. Let’s go! I’m ready for 2022.”

Las Vegas’ latest coaching change is a significant one for the WNBA. Having one of its greatest players ever spurn the NBA for the W speaks volumes to where the league is currently at and the direction it is going. The move will only open the door for similar future transactions while bringing more eyes to a forever-growing league.

The hiring marks the end of the Bill Laimbeer era as the Aces’ head coach, which began in 2017 in the Aces’ debut season as a WNBA organization. The marriage between the two parties lasted four seasons and resulted in a 77-45 regular-season record. Laimbeer led the Aces to a WNBA Finals appearance and the No. 1 seed in the 2020 regular season, although Vegas fell 3-0 to the Seattle Storm in the Finals. He’ll reportedly remain with the organization in what appears to be a front-office role as the Aces prepare for the upcoming free agency period.

The Aces will head into the free agency period with essential moves to make. Such decisions include the unrestricted free agencies of Liz Cambage, Angel McCoughtry, and Riquna Williams. How will it all shape out? Stay tuned for updates and breaking news throughout the offseason.

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-Cole Huff– Franchise Sports Media