Becky Hammon Becomes 1st Female Named to NBA All-Star Coaching Staff

San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon will add another first to her coaching resume Feb. 14 in Toronto, as she will become the first woman to join a coaching staff in the All-Star Game.

NBA TV tweeted the historic news:

The Spurs announced Gregg Popovich will be the head coach for the Western Conference team, and stars Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge will represent San Antonio on the court, per NBA.com.

Hammon already etched her name into NBA history during the offseason, coaching the Spurs' summer-league squad to a championship in Las Vegas. The six-time WNBA All-Star joined Popovich's staff Aug. 5, 2014, becoming the first female full-time paid coach in the NBA.

Being hired by a professional team is one thing, but to be brought on by one of the most prestigious coaches in NBA history says even more.

So far, it's worked out for Hammon as well as other female coaches across the United States. The Sacramento Kings hired Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman as an assistant coach last July.

Just before the NFL's preseason began, the Arizona Cardinals hired Jen Welter as an assistant coaching intern. Welter's hiring paved the way for Buffalo Bills special teams quality-control coach Kathryn Smith to become the first female full-time coach in the NFL.

It might be common practice for coaches to bring their entire staffs on board for the All-Star Game, but Hammon proved in the summer league that she deserves to be there.

This is just another big step for women in the realm of coaching. The hirings of Welter and Smith in the NFL are signs that football may soon be accepting of larger roles for women in the coaching world.

Now with the news of Hammon adding another first to her resume, it may not be long before a woman becomes a head coach of an NBA team.