LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Aces have confirmed on Friday that Becky Hammon will be the team's new head coach.
The deal makes Hammon the highest-paid coach in the WNBA, according to reports from The Athletic, ESPN, and the Associated Press.
Hammon retired as a six-time WNBA all-star after 16 seasons in the league: eight with the New York Liberty and eight with the San Antonio Stars, which later became the Aces.
She became the first female full-time assistant coach in the NBA after signing on with the San Antonio Spurs, where she's spent the past eight seasons. Hammon has also interviewed for several NBA head coaching positions.
“We’re very excited to have Becky return to the Aces’ franchise as our head coach,” said Aces President Nikki Fargas in a press release.
“Her success in the sport of basketball as both a player and a coach is unparalleled and fueled by a tenacious desire to be the best she can possibly be. We have one of the most talented rosters in the WNBA, and Becky is the absolute best person to lead this team.”
Hammon replaces Bill Laimbeer, who coached the Aces for the team’s first four years in Las Vegas. The former Pistons Bad Boy led the Aces to three WNBA Semifinals appearances, and the 2020 WNBA Finals.
