By Dionysis Aravantinos / info@eurohoops.net
One of the best international players of all-time, Pau Gasol has no doubt in his mind that Becky Hammon can coach in the NBA.
Pau Gasol who has had a great 17-year career so far in the world’s greatest basketball league, and has been coached by Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich writes about Becky Hammon in ‘The Players Tribune‘. As he says, Hammon can coach: “First, I’ve just gotta tell you: If you’re making that argument to anyone who’s actually played any high-level basketball, you’re going to seem really ignorant. But I also have a simple response to it — which is that I’ve been in the NBA for 17 years. I’ve won two championships … I’ve played with some of the best players of this generation … and I’ve played under two of the sharpest minds in the history of sports, in Phil Jackson and Gregg Popovich. And I’m telling you: Becky Hammon can coach. I’m not saying she can coach pretty well. I’m not saying she can coach enough to get by. I’m not saying she can coach almost at the level of the NBA’s male coaches. I’m saying: Becky Hammon can coach NBA basketball. Period.”
In addition, ‘Don Pau’ also used an example regarding Hammon’s level of basketball knowledge: “This year, in a practice a few months back, I was drilling the pick-and-roll with Dejounte Murray. It was a standard drill, just the two of us alone at one basket: I would set the screen and either pop out for the jumper or roll to the lane. If I popped, Dejounte would hit me with a chest pass. If I rolled, a bounce pass. Like I said, a very standard drill — we’ll do this a million times.
But what I remember about this particular drill is that at some point during it, Coach Hammon stopped us mid-motion. Coaches Hammon, Borrego and Messina walk over, and Becky says to Dejounte, “D.J., O.K. — your bounce pass? It’s too low. You’ve got to hit Pau exactly where he needs it. Run that again.” We then talk some more as a group about how I need the ball a little more precise, with a little more zip, so I could have a better chance to finish the action at the rim. And then we repeat the drill a few times, alternating from the left and right sides of the court. Of course, Dejounte being Dejounte, he figures it out fast — and pretty soon we’re flying through. But something about that moment has just always stuck with me. Just, like … the level of knowledge of the game that Becky showed, you know what I mean?
Furthermore, Gasol also talks about Hammon’s relationship with Gregg Popovich and how the ‘mastermind’ of the Spurs‘ franchise develops his staff, in an open letter you have to read. Finally, he shares his feeling about Igor Kokoskov’s signing with the Phoenix Suns.
Hammon has had a phenomenal career so far as she has reached great milestones. She is the first-ever female assistant coach in the NBA and could potentially make history if she becomes a head coach. A week ago (05/05), it was reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks are set to interview her for the head coach position. The question is when will we see her coach in the NBA? Hopefully sooner than later.
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