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Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon has a lot of love and appreciation for what Gregg Popovich has done for her career as a head coach.
Popovich announced his retirement from being a head coach on Friday afternoon. It marked the end of a legendary coaching career that saw him win five championships from 1996 to 2025, which included Hammon serving as an assistant for seven years from 2014 to 2021.
Hammon reflected on Popovich's retirement ahead of the Ace's preseason game against the Dallas Wings on Friday, per ESPN's Adam Rittenberg. With the Spurs being her coaching stop and getting to learn under Popovich, she shared her respect for one of the best basketball coaches the sport had the pleasure of witnessing.
“That's who mentored me, that's who spent literally thousands of hours with me,” Hammon said. “Watching him, I was there eight years. It's a lot of games, it's a lot of practices, it's a lot of coaches meetings. So yeah, my heart's a little heavy for him because I know how much he loves it, but I'm sure he'll crush this role just as much.”
How Becky Hammon, Aces played against Wings
Getting the opportunity to learn from a head coach like Gregg Popovich will forever be priceless for Becky Hammon.
How Hammon has coached the Las Vegas Aces since she embraced the head coaching job in 2022 is a major example of Popovich's influence on her. She led the Aces to two WNBA titles to start out her time in the WNBA, having her title streak end in 2024 after losing in the second round of the playoffs.
Hammon boasts an 87-29 record in the regular season and a 19-6 record in the postseason after three years. This displays her undeniable talent as one of the best coaches in the league, and she is only getting started.
Heading into her fourth season, she looks to have Las Vegas start out hot. She and the team were on the same page during their 112-78 demolition of the Dallas Wings Friday night to begin their short preseason.
After a close first quarter with Dallas leading 25-23, the Aces exploded with a 32-11 outing in the second quarter. They led 55-36 at halftime and never looked back, dominating both sides of the ball at the Wings' expense.
Six players scored in double-digits in Las Vegas' behalf. Jackie Young led the way with 28 points, nine assists, five rebounds, and three steals. She shot 6-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-8 from beyond the arc, and 13-of-13 from the free-throw line. A'ja Wilson came next with 19 points and seven rebounds, Aaliyah Nye put up 17 points and Chelsea Gray scored 13 points. Meanwhile, Jewell Loyd and Tiffany Mitchell provided 10 points each.
The Aces have one more preseason game to play, hosting the Phoenix Mercury on May 6 at 10 p.m. ET.
