Time for San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich to either promote or fire Becky Hammon
Gregg Popovich had the chance to name his top, longest-tenured assistant the San Antonio Spurs’ acting head coach, but he opted for Tim Duncan instead.
Is it because Becky Hammon is a woman?
Sorry, Pop, but when you opened this door, it included an 88 oz. bottle of worms, too.
The invincible coach of the Spurs either believes his top assistant is capable of filling in for him for a game or two, or he should fire that person. Pop owes it to Hammon to let her fill in as acting head coach when the situation calls.
Because that’s her job.
What he did to her last week made Hammon look like a token.
She is no token, and Pop is no dummy. But he whiffed.
The Mavs play the Spurs on Tuesday in San Antonio, and Pop is expected to be on the bench.
On March 3, Pop had to miss the Spurs’ game against the Charlotte Hornets to address “personal business.”
That is appropriate occasion when the “top assistant” takes over as acting head coach. Instead, Pop gave the interim job to Tim Duncan.
Pop could give Duncan his house, and it would not be enough. Duncan all but made Pop. The decision to make TD the acting head coach for a game isn’t terrible, even if it looks odd.
The reason floating around the River Walk is Duncan was handed the duties because he was the assistant who scouted the Hornets. The assistant who scouts the opponent, in San Antonio, is the acting head coach if Pop is out.
Hammon was the coach in the huddle on several occasions during that game.
Peculiar when the top assistant is jumped by the guy who was hired in the offseason. With no previous coaching experience.
“No matter who I would’ve had out there, it would have been a story, about any one of those guys, or gals,” Popovich told Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. “And I understand that. That’s [the media’s] job, but it’s of little interest to me.”
It’s doubtful Duncan even wants to be a head coach. He may only be an assistant because he wants something to do.
Hammon wants to be an NBA head coach.
She has been on Pop’s staff since the summer of 2014. That was when he made her the first full-time female assistant coach on any of North America’s four major sports leagues.
Since Hammon was hired, other women have joined the staffs of the New York Yankees, San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Mavericks.
To his eternal credit, Pop has created opportunities for women in pro sports they would not otherwise have.
He told Mike Finger he didn’t do it to create history, but rather because Hammon was qualified.
He deserves nothing but praise for creating that opportunity for women.
Hammon has been the head coach of the Spurs’ summer league team three different seasons, and was promoted to Pop’s top assistant last year. She played in college, the WNBA, and is widely respected.
He has used her as the lone voice in the huddle, and “let” her address the media after the games; granted, for Pop that’s like “letting” your neighbor pay your taxes.
Yet when it has come time to give her the title, he can’t quite do it.
On Nov. 16, the Spurs trailed the Blazers by 14 points with 9:37 remaining in the third quarter in San Antonio when Pop was ejected. Pop turned to Duncan to be acting head coach the rest of the way.
Every Spurs’ assistant contributes when Pop is, and was, out. Hammon plays her part.
In her position, Hammon can’t say a word. Pop gave her this chance. She has to wait.
It comes down to not whether Pop believes Hammon is ready, but if he believes NBA players are ready for Hammon.
A woman coaching a man is a bridge that has yet to be crossed, even if Pop has much to do with its construction.
Pop is justified if he is reluctant to take this final step. It’s never been done before.
He cares about Hammon and does not want her to fail. This could be a fiasco, and affect a lot more people than her.
Even good NBA head coaches barely survive, and they are dead without legit NBA players.
If a woman is going to be a head coach in the NBA, as an interim or full-time, Popovich is the one who can make it happen.
Now he has to let go, take the final step and let Hammon have the title for a regular-season game. We are not talking about a full season.
“Acting head coach” falls under the scope of her job responsibilities.
If he does not believe she can do it, or her serving as the interim head coach is not in the best interests of the San Antonio Spurs, he should get rid of her.
This story was originally published March 10, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
