Ranking the 2023 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame finalists

6. Becky Hammon

Hammon is a well-recognized name in basketball both for her play and now her coaching ability. She was a six-time WNBA All-Star and earned First-Team All-WNBA honors twice. She averaged 13.9 points and 3.8 assists per game over 16 seasons in the WNBA and became the seventh player in WNBA history to score 5,000 points. Hammon was also named to the league’s 15th, 20th and 25th Anniversary Teams.

As a coach, Hammon served as an assistant for the San Antonio Spurs, becoming the first full-time female coach in any of the four major professional sports. Following her time with the Spurs, Hammon was named the head coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces and in her first season at the helm, led the team to a 26-10 record and the 2022 WNBA Finals Championship, making her the first rookie head coach to capture a WBNA title.

For Hammon, she has both historic milestones and a strong playing career on her side. As the top person in the Women’s Committee’s group of finalists, Hammon should hear her name called.