Spurs' Becky Hammon Reportedly Being Pursued by WNBA's Liberty, Aces for HC Jobs

San Antonio Spurs assistant Becky Hammon is reportedly being pursued by the WNBA's New York Liberty and Las Vegas Aces for their head coaching positions, per The Athletic's Chantel Jennings and Shams Charania. 

Hammon has mutual interest in taking a position, and if she chooses to accept an offer, it will likely be announced before the WNBA’s January free agency opens, The Athletic adds. 

Hammon played 16 seasons in the WNBA from 1999-2014, beginning her career with the Liberty before playing her final eight seasons with the San Antonio Stars. She is a six-time WNBA All-Star and two-time All-WNBA first-team member. 

The 44-year-old has since served as an assistant on Gregg Popovich's staff in San Antonio. 

In 2015, she became the first female to serve as head coach in the NBA Summer League, leading the summer squad to a championship. Then in Dec. 2020, she became the first woman to act as head coach of an NBA team when Popovich was ejected in a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Hammon has also interviewed for several NBA head coaching positions over the last several years, meeting with the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018, before interviewing with the Portland Trail Blazers and Orlando Magic this past offseason. 

The Liberty are in need of a head coach after parting ways with Walt Hopkins on Dec. 6. Hopkins spent two seasons with the franchise, leading the team to a disappointing 2-20 record in 2020 and a 12-20 finish in 2021. 

The Aces aren't in need of a head coach as Bill Laimbeer, who has coached in the WNBA since 2002, has been behind the bench since 2018, leading the team to the WNBA Finals in 2020. 

However, if Hammon were to accept the Aces' head coaching job, Laimbeer "would step aside and potentially fill a different organizational role," per The Athletic. 

The Aces finished the 2021 season with a 24-8 record, second in the WNBA, while the Liberty finished eighth with a 12-20 record.