Becky Hammon Named 2022 WNBA Coach of the Year in 1st Season with Aces

Becky Hammon did not have to wait long to find success in her first head coaching job.

The Las Vegas Aces coach was named WNBA Coach of the Year on Friday in her first season with the franchise.

The Aces went 26-10 during the regular season, earning the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference for the third straight yeah. They swept the Phoenix Mercury in the first round and await the Seattle Storm in the conference semifinals.

Hammon received 27 out of 56 first-place votes. Atlanta Dream coach Tanisha Wright finished second with 18 first-place votes, and the Chicago Sky's James Wade recieved eight first-place selections.

Hammon was hired as the Aces' head coach and general manager last December, taking over for Bill Laimbeer. She largely focused her efforts on retaining Las Vegas' talent-laden roster, inking extensions with Jackie Young, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby and Kelsey Plum to fortify the future.

Young instantly made a leap under Hammon, earning her first All-Star berth and winning WNBA Most Improved Player. The Aces had an WNBA-high four players named to the All-Star team, with Young joining Plum, A'ja Wilson and Hamby.

Hammon previously served as an assistant coach under Gregg Popovich for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs from August 2014 until her hiring in Las Vegas. She has been considered by far the likeliest candidate to become the first woman to coach an NBA team.