Gregg Popovich's protege Becky Hammon brushes off speculation about Spurs HC role

Gregg Popovich’s protégé, Becky Hammon, seems to have no interest in taking over the San Antonio Spurs. On Friday, the Spurs announced that Popovich will step away from his duties as the head coach and take over as president of basketball operations. Mitch Johnson, who has been coaching in Popovich’s stead, will take over as the permanent head coach.

Meanwhile, Becky Hammon is content with her role in the WNBA, where she coaches the Las Vegas Aces. Hammon worked under Coach Pop as the Spurs’ assistant manager from 2014 to 2021. After Gregg Popovich was ejected from a game in 2020, Hammon took over and became the first woman to become an active head coach of an NBA team.

However, her priority lies with the Aces. When asked about rejoining the Spurs on Friday, Hammon said:

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“I'm super happy where I am. This opportunity for me, I couldn't pass on it. ... I bet on myself instead of maybe waiting it out for a maybe [in the NBA]. I've enjoyed being back on the women's side. You guys know I'm effusive about my love for this team and being back in the women's game."

Hammon joined the Aces in 2021 and has turned their fortunes around. She led them to back-to-back championships in 2022 and 2023 and won the Coach of the Year award in 2022.

“Heart's a little heavy”: Becky Hammon reacts to news of Gregg Popovich stepping down as Spurs HC

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When people think of the San Antonio Spurs, more than Tim Duncan and Kawhi Leonard, they think of Gregg Popovich. The legendary coach has been a part of the organization for over three decades. On Friday, the Spurs announced that Coach Pop is set to step down as the head coach.

While speaking to reporters, Popovich’s former assistant coach Becky Hammon shared her thoughts on the situation:

“That's who mentored me, that's who spent literally thousands of hours with me," Hammon said.

"Watching him, I was there eight years. It's a lot of games, it's a lot of practices, it's a lot of coaches' meetings. So yeah, my heart's a little heavy for him because I know how much he loves it, but I'm sure he'll crush this role just as much."

While Popovich takes over basketball operations for the Spurs, his protégé, Becky Hammon, will look to lead the Las Vegas Aces to another title this season.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Bhargav