Before Becky Hammon was a groundbreaking NBA assistant coach for the Spurs, the first female Summer League coach, and a WNBA championship coach, she was a star player in the WNBA.
Hammon may be better known for her coaching chops these days, but that stellar 16-year career as a WNBA player has her joining a star-studded cast of 2023 inductees into the Naismith Hall of Fame.
Becky Hammon’s WNBA playing career
Hammon created a reputation as one of the smartest point guards in the league in stints with the New York Liberty and San Antonio Stars. Her start didn’t come easily — she went undrafted in 1999 despite her status as a three-time All-American at Colorado State.
Hammon didn’t have great size — at 5-foot-6, she was one of the shorter players in the league throughout her playing career. And it took her a while to earn playing time behind all-time great Teresa Weatherspoon. Hammon averaged only 6.7 minutes as a rookie. But she began starting games in her second year, and took over the starter role for the Liberty by her third season.
Hammon made up for her lack of size with great feel and fantastic shooting ability. She hit 38 percent of her 3-pointers and 89.7 percent of her free throws for her career. That free throw mark is fourth all-time in WNBA history,…
