We have seen so many things go wrong in 2020, whether it’s the COVID-19 pandemic or the untimely deaths of so many people in the world of sports and entertainment, 2020 will be a year that many will talk about for a long time.
On Wednesday in San Antonio, we finally got some good news and another event we will be talking about for a long time. Former WNBA star and current Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon made history. After Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the second quarter in the team’s 121-107 loss to the Lakers, Hammon became the first woman in NBA history to serve as a head coach.
The 43-year old Hammon has been an assistant coach with the Spurs for six seasons, and she coached San Antonio’s summer league team in 2015. When the Spurs hired Hammon in 2014, she became the second female coach in league history.
After the game, Hammon discussed what it meant to be the first female to lead an NBA team.
“Obviously, it’s a big deal; it’s a substantial moment,” Hammon said. “I got traded here in 2007, so I’ve been in San Antonio apart of the Spurs and sports organization, with the (Silver) Stars and everything for 13 years, so I have a lot of time invested, and they have a lot of time invested in me, and building me and getting me better. Honestly, in the moment, I was just trying to win the game.
“I say this a lot, but I try not to think about the huge picture and the huge aspect of it because it can get overwhelming. It’s my job to go in there and be focused for those guys and make sure that I’m helping them do the things that will help us win. I really have not had time to reflect. I haven’t looked at my phone, so I have no idea what’s going on outside of AT&T Center tonight.”
Many believe that Hammon will be a head coach in the NBA in the near future, and when she does, she and others will always remember December 30, 2020.
Watch below as Hammon talks being the head coach for the Spurs on Wednesday night:
Plenty of history was made on Wednesday night in San Antonio. Some we expected and some that was a surprise. First, LeBron James, on his 36th birthday, became the first player in NBA history to have one-thousand straight game in double figures. Next, after Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the second quarter, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon became the first woman in NBA history to serve as head coach.
Ultimately, behind James’ team-high 26 points, the Lakers would defeat San Antonio 121-107 at AT&T Center.
Michael Jordan previously held the record with 866 straight games in double-figures, but James would surpass that mark in 2018.
After the game, James reflected on one-thousand straight games of 10 points or more.
“I just go out and try to prepare to be the best every night I step out on the floor,” James said about one-thousand straight games in double-figures. “If I’m in uniform, I gotta do things to help our team win. If that’s scoring, rebounding, defending, assisting. Doing the little things, and just be available for my teammates throughout the course of the game when I’m on the floor or when I’m also on the bench.”
This is James’ 17th season in the NBA, so first, you need longevity to pull this type of streak off, and next, you have to have consistency, which means this record will be tough to break.
It’s not easy to score a basket in the NBA, and scoring in double-figures is even harder, but as he continues, James is making many things in the NBA look easy.
At 36, James is still playing at an elite level, and the way the world-champion Lakers are presently constructed, this team could make another deep playoff run this season. James shows no signs of slowing down, and he appears to be a guy who could play at a high level for years to come. Expect James to achieve more milestones and do more amazing things moving forward.
At this point, it’s clear, we are all witnesses to greatness.
