Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon congratulated Gregg Popovich after him left the training of San Antonio Spurs Become their full -time president.
Popovich underwent a slight stroke in November which prevented him from calling games for the team the rest of the season, and he retired from training after 29 years of work. Deputy coach Mitch Johnson, who was acting head coach for the rest of the season, will take control permanently.
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Before the Pre-season confrontation of Aces against Dallas wings Friday evening, Hammon applauded Popovich, who took him under his wing in the years preceding his mandate in Las Vegas.
“It was who framed me, who literally spent thousands of hours with me,” said Hammon. “Watch 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 yes, my heart is a bit heavy for him because I know how much he loves him, but I'm sure he will crush this role.”
Hammon was one of the Popovich coaches staff from 2014 to 2021 and was the first woman to lead an NBA team after Popovich was ejected into a defeat against Lakers in 2020. The former New York Liberty Guard was also the first woman to be a head coach Summer League and was linked to the Portland Trail Blazers vacancy in 2021 before to be hired by the Aces.
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She became the first WNBA coach to win a championship as a recruit and obtained another title in 2022. Despite her ties with Spurs and fans calling her to replace Popovich, the 48 -year -old woman insisted that she was happy with her role in Las Vegas.
“I'm super happy where I am,” said Hammon. “This opportunity for me, I could not pass. I bet on myself instead of waiting perhaps (in the NBA). I liked being back on the feminine side. You know that I am an efficient on my love for this team and I am back in the female game.”
“If I had to make this jump, you know it must be the right adjustment, the right time, in front of the right people, with the right team,” she added.
