Becky Hammond going places?

[iamcbs]

Anyone who knows anything about Coach Popovich, knows that publicity is the last thing he's concerned with. After her playing days were over, Becky Hammon spent months working for Pop in what amounted to an unpaid internship.

Based on her work ethic and knowledge, Pop offered her a job as an Assistant Coach with the Spurs. She was subsequently named the HC of the Spurs NBA Summer League team which won the league championship.

By all indications from both the Spurs players and coaches, Hammon has a great basketball mind and is an excellent communicator.

Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer got the Pop seal of approval, how's that working out?

 

[oldude]

Atlanta's Mike Budenholzer got the Pop seal of approval, how's that working out?

You mean Mike Budenholzer, the NBA Coach of the year in 2015? Is that the Mike Budenholzer you mean?

 

[Florida Fan]

So she gets a retired coach as an assistant (not necessarily Andy Landers) and like Geno, treats the team like basketball players.

 

[CTtransplant]

You mean Mike Budenholzer, the NBA Coach of the year in 2015? Is that the Mike Budenholzer you mean?

Man, you are on a bit of a roll tonight Mr. Olddude. Facts, clear opinions, concise arguments. The supplements sure seem to be working!

 

[Plebe]

Becky Hammon should do whatever she feels drawn to do, but I would rather see her continue to break through glass ceilings in the coaching ranks of men's basketball.

 

[eebmg]

Becky Hammon should do whatever she feels drawn to do, but I would rather see her continue to break through glass ceilings in the coaching ranks of men's basketball.

It depends on what you think the ultimate glass ceiling is. I for one believe she (or any woman) will never break the head coach ceiling of the NBA. With players making more and more money, it is a player's league and coaches simply do not have the power to do anything. The money and the one and done status of the best players make the situation worse resulting in immature and less enlightened players who will not take direction or discipline and give effort only for their contracts . The only reason Popavich survived is because he had the backing of David Robinson and Tim Duncan who were two of the highest quality individuals to ever play in the NBA. Once he was established as a great coach, he now enjoys a security and status that just does not exist for the average coach. A new woman head coach would be pulverized by the players of today. The only reason Becky Hammon did so well in the summer league is because the players needed to be on their best behavior or they would simply be shipped out of the organization.

Perhaps a men's college team is a possibility but I do not see a D1 team making the jump in my lifetime. If a great woman's D1 or WNBA opportunity becomes available, she should go after it imho.

 

[Dillon77]

It depends on what you think the ultimate glass ceiling is. I for one believe she (or any woman) will never break the head coach ceiling of the NBA. With players making more and more money, it is a player's league and coaches simply do not have the power to do anything. The money and the one and done status of the best players make the situation worse resulting in immature and less enlightened players who will not take direction or discipline and give effort only for their contracts . The only reason Popavich survived is because he had the backing of David Robinson and Tim Duncan who were two of the highest quality individuals to ever play in the NBA. Once he was established as a great coach, he now enjoys a security and status that just does not exist for the average coach. A new woman head coach would be pulverized by the players of today. The only reason Becky Hammon did so well in the summer league is because the players needed to be on their best behavior or they would simply be shipped out of the organization.

Perhaps a men's college team is a possibility but I do not see a D1 team making the jump in my lifetime. If a great woman's D1 or WNBA opportunity becomes available, she should go after it imho.

I buy the premise of of the NBA being a players' league. However, the use of the word only caught my attention. It's such an absolute word that it has a tendency of standing out. I've bolded them above.

- On the first one, I agree with the gist that the NBA is a players league. However, it wasn't just through the largesse of Robinson and Duncan that Popovich survived. He had to earn their respect via his abilities. And the respect came about because he seems to know what he's doing. Given that he's still succeeding after Robinson and Duncan retired, I think he's still demonstrating that acumen.

- As for Becky Hammon succeeding only because players felt that they had to be on best behavior? Did that also mean they felt compelled to play well? In a league where most are looking to show "Look what I can do!" Sure, players are aware of who their coaches are (well, at least we hope so), but Pop would expect the players to respect any coach he assigned to run the summer league team. And to posit her success on a presumed pressure to be on best behavior is a little denigrating to Becky's ability.

Once again, this may be just the use of the word "only," but it makes a difference in the way I interpret your remarks.

BTW, I think Hammon can coach heck out of any team on the floor. What I would ask is if she can adjust to working with players that come in as kids and are young adults when they leave. Trying to deal with individuals in a collective environment. Becky was a pretty driven individual...will she realized she's not everyone?

 

[iamcbs]

You mean Mike Budenholzer, the NBA Coach of the year in 2015? Is that the Mike Budenholzer you mean?

Yeah the Mike Budenholzer whose team got swept in the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs by the Cavs last year and who are currently on the outside looking in at the NBA playoffs this season. The Mike Budenholzer whose PG and Center engaged in an on-court spat during the middle of a game. Yes, that's the Mike Budenholzer I mean....

 

[oldude]

Yeah the Mike Budenholzer whose team got swept in the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs by the Cavs last year and who are currently on the outside looking in at the NBA playoffs this season. The Mike Budenholzer whose PG and Center engaged in an on-court spat during the middle of a game. Yes, that's the Mike Budenholzer I mean....

Now you're just making specious arguments because you can no longer defend your point with a rational one. So I'll leave you with this last comment and then I'm done with this thread.

Let's just see how Becky Hammon does as a HC. One of us will be right and one of us will be wrong.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

Yeah the Mike Budenholzer whose team got swept in the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs by the Cavs last year and who are currently on the outside looking in at the NBA playoffs this season.

Atlanta is 5th in the Eastern Conference. Eight teams from the East make the playoffs.

 

[Wally East]

Yeah the Mike Budenholzer whose team got swept in the 2nd round of the NBA Playoffs by the Cavs last year and who are currently on the outside looking in at the NBA playoffs this season. The Mike Budenholzer whose PG and Center engaged in an on-court spat during the middle of a game. Yes, that's the Mike Budenholzer I mean....

So, let me see if I have this right:

Becky Hammon won't be a good coach at the University of Florida because the Atlanta Hawks got swept by eventual the NBA Champion Cleveland Cavaliers last year and two players yelled at each other during a game?

Huh. Okay.

 

[Wally East]

I agree that while I hope she's happy doing whatever she does, I was hoping that, eventually, she'd be the first woman to coach in one of the four major professional leagues.

Also, when I clicked the headline, I wasn't sure if it was the men's or women's team that Florida was interested in having her coach.

She might not work out at Florida, if she takes the job. Not everyone who is a good coach at one level does equally well at the other. Rick Pitino is one example.

 

[iamcbs]

Now you're just making specious arguments because you can no longer defend your point with a rational one. So I'll leave you with this last comment and then I'm done with this thread.

Let's just see how Becky Hammon does as a HC. One of us will be right and one of us will be wrong.

You brought up the Pop coaching tree not me and I gave you just one example, there are more, but you're right one of us will be wrong and I'll be right......

 

[eebmg]

I buy the premise of of the NBA being a players' league. However, the use of the word only caught my attention. It's such an absolute word that it has a tendency of standing out. I've bolded them above.

- On the first one, I agree with the gist that the NBA is a players league. However, it wasn't just through the largesse of Robinson and Duncan that Popovich survived. He had to earn their respect via his abilities. And the respect came about because he seems to know what he's doing. Given that he's still succeeding after Robinson and Duncan retired, I think he's still demonstrating that acumen.

- As for Becky Hammon succeeding only because players felt that they had to be on best behavior? Did that also mean they felt compelled to play well? In a league where most are looking to show "Look what I can do!" Sure, players are aware of who their coaches are (well, at least we hope so), but Pop would expect the players to respect any coach he assigned to run the summer league team. And to posit her success on a presumed pressure to be on best behavior is a little denigrating to Becky's ability.

Once again, this may be just the use of the word "only," but it makes a difference in the way I interpret your remarks.

BTW, I think Hammon can coach heck out of any team on the floor. What I would ask is if she can adjust to working with players that come in as kids and are young adults when they leave. Trying to deal with individuals in a collective environment. Becky was a pretty driven individual...will she realized she's not everyone?

In rereading my original comments, I can see where using the word "only" can be an issue since nothing should be completely absolute. My comments were not made to denigrate Hammon but to point out that imho, the general "me first" elite NBA player would simply not give her the chance to show her coaching skills. I only bring this up since I would hate for her to spend her prime time in a position which I do not see a realistic chance for advancement.

In this direction, I wonder if she was offered the WNBA Silver Stars HC position and she declined since she thought that leaving her Spurs position so soon may be looked upon as giving up the gender fight? I have no idea.

Regarding Popovich, in investigating his coaching history, it seems he was first GM and then fired the coach (Bob Hill) so he became both GM and coach and was responsible for the lottery pick of Tim Duncan. Therefore, my hypothesis of Popovich owing his coaching longevity to Duncan is not accurate but his willingness to be coached and disciplined really helped and this is something that in general does not exist anymore in today's NBA.

 

[Charliebball]

Becky Hammon's choice -- college coach or NBA trailblazer -- will go down in history