Lieberman breaks more ground as assistant coach with Sacramento Kings
The pioneering work by women in professional sports is nothing more than what’s been reflected lately in society.
So says Nancy Lieberman, who was hired this summer as an assistant coach with the Sacramento Kings.
Lieberman joins Becky Hammon, who was hired to coach Gregg Popovich’s staff with the San Antonio Spurs last season, as the second woman to become a full-time assistant coach in NBA history. But Lieberman figures the two historic hirings should be old news by now.
“What we’re doing in sports is not new,” Lieberman said. “We have an African-American president in his second term, we have two women running for president, we have women CEOs.
“We are doing things that are just mirroring society. We’re not inventing something here. All we’re doing is creating the opportunity for qualified people to be a part of an organization.”
Lieberman, 57, applauds Kings coach George Karl and Popovich for hiring a female assistant coach.
“You can’t say enough about a man like Gregg Popovich taking a stance and being strong to say, ‘I’m doing this,’ because it’s always hard for the first one, because it takes a lot of guts, it takes somebody that is really strong and powerful and not afraid,” Lieberman said. “That’s why George Karl and Popovich are amazing, because they did this before anybody else in giving us this opportunity.”
Lieberman’s résumé is impressive. She is a three-time All-American and a two-time Olympian. She won two national titles and an NIT championship while playing at Old Dominion, and is hailed as one of the most decorated players in women’s basketball.
Lieberman has been inducted into several women’s basketball Hall of Fames, played 12 seasons in women’s professional leagues, including the WNBA, and was the head coach and general manager of the WNBA Detroit Shock.
Texas Legends owner Donnie Nelson, the Dallas Mavericks general manager, hired her in 2009 to be the head coach of his NBA D-League franchise.
Thus, Lieberman was the first female head coach under an NBA brand.
“I know we’re doing something very, very special on the NBA level, but Donnie did something incredible,” Lieberman said. “I will never forget what he did.
“I understand that this is the NBA and this is the highest level that we have in our profession. But what Donnie did was take a stance and make a decision on this is what we’re doing, this is who I want and I’m going to hire her as my head coach, and we were successful because we made the playoffs in our first year.”
Lieberman, who will host the fourth annual Nancy Lieberman Charities Celebrity Golf Classic on Oct. 13 at Prestonwood Country Club in Plano, believes it’s only a matter of time before a woman becomes a head coach in the NBA.
“You just don’t wake one day and have no affiliation to the NBA and pop on a bench,” Lieberman said. “You have to kind of get in, learn, continue to build relationships, show that you’re worthy of the opportunity.
“It’s not our birthright to have jobs, whether you’re a man or a woman. You have to show people you deserve to be there. Now you might get fast-tracked to a situation, and that’s OK also, but you also have to be able to handle the job.”
Lieberman starts her first training camp with the Kings this week.
“Every day I walk in the [Kings’] office I get embraced by our coaches, by our video coordinators, by our general manager, by our assistant general manager, by our owner,” Lieberman said. “They’re in such respect, and they’re so proud in Sacramento.
“I can’t even begin to tell you how proud they are.”
Dwain Price, 817-390-7760
Twitter: @dwainprice
This story was originally published September 23, 2015 at 5:15 PM with the headline "Lieberman breaks more ground as assistant coach with Sacramento Kings."