American-Russian basketball coach and former professional player, currently head coach of the WNBA's Las Vegas Aces.
Becky Hammon grew up in Rapid City, South Dakota, where she developed her basketball skills from an early age. At Stevens High School, she became one of the state's top players, earning South Dakota Miss Basketball and South Dakota Player of the Year honors. Despite her accomplishments, many college recruiters overlooked her because of concerns about her size. She ultimately accepted a scholarship to Colorado State University.
At Colorado State, Hammon emerged as one of the most productive players in collegiate basketball. Between 1995 and 1999, she became a three-time All-American and three-time Western Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She led the Rams to a 33–3 record and a Sweet Sixteen appearance during the 1998–99 season. By the conclusion of her collegiate career, she held numerous school records, including points scored, assists, field goals made, free throws made, and three-pointers made. Her jersey number 25 was later retired by Colorado State.
Although she was not selected in the 1999 WNBA Draft, Hammon signed with the New York Liberty and quickly established herself in the league. Initially serving as a reserve, she eventually became the Liberty's starting point guard and one of the team's leaders. During her tenure in New York, she developed a reputation as an intelligent playmaker and reliable scorer.
In 2007, Hammon was traded to the San Antonio Silver Stars. The move marked a turning point in her career. She averaged career-best numbers, led the WNBA in assists, earned All-WNBA honors, and helped transform the Silver Stars into a championship contender. Her clutch performances earned her the nickname "Big Shot Becky." In 2008, she guided San Antonio to the WNBA Finals after helping the team secure the league's best regular-season record.
Hammon continued to perform at a high level throughout the remainder of her playing career. She earned six All-Star selections, multiple All-WNBA honors, won the WNBA Three-Point Shootout in 2009, and became one of the most productive guards in league history. She surpassed 5,000 career points in 2011 and retired following the 2014 season after 16 years in the WNBA.
During her playing career, Hammon also competed internationally. She played professionally in Italy, Spain, and Russia, winning the Spanish League championship and Queen's Cup with Ros Casares Valencia. Internationally, she represented the United States at the 1998 Jones Cup before later competing for Russia after obtaining Russian citizenship. She helped Russia win a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games and a silver medal at EuroBasket 2009.
Hammon's coaching career began while she was recovering from an ACL injury during her final playing seasons. She spent time observing San Antonio Spurs practices and coaching sessions, eventually earning the trust of Gregg Popovich and his staff.
In 2014, she became the first full-time female assistant coach in NBA history when the Spurs hired her. During her seven-year tenure, she achieved several historic milestones. In 2015, she became the first woman to serve as head coach in the NBA Summer League and led the Spurs to a championship. She later became the first woman to serve on an NBA All-Star coaching staff and, in December 2020, became the first woman to act as head coach during an NBA regular-season game after Popovich's ejection.
Hammon was interviewed for several NBA executive and head coaching positions and became one of the first women seriously considered for such roles. In December 2021, she accepted the position of head coach of the Las Vegas Aces.
Her impact was immediate. In her first season, the Aces won the 2022 WNBA championship, making Hammon the first rookie head coach to win a title in league history. The Aces successfully defended their championship in 2023 and won another title in 2025. Through her first four seasons, Hammon compiled one of the highest winning percentages among active WNBA coaches and established Las Vegas as one of the league's dominant franchises. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 and remains one of the most influential coaches in professional basketball.
Becky Hammon's international career included representing both the United States and Russia in major international competitions. In 1998, she played for the United States at the William Jones Cup in Taipei, Taiwan, helping the team win the gold medal. Although she was a standout player in college and the WNBA, she was not selected for the senior U.S. Olympic team during her playing career.
In 2008, after learning she would not be invited to compete for a place on the U.S. Olympic roster, Hammon obtained Russian citizenship and joined the Russian national team. She represented Russia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the team won the bronze medal, and she played a key role in the third-place game against China. Hammon continued her international career with Russia by competing at EuroBasket 2009, where the team earned a silver medal, as well as the 2010 FIBA World Championship and the 2012 London Olympics. Her participation with Russia made her one of the few American-born WNBA stars to compete internationally for another national team at the Olympic level.
Across her international career, Hammon earned a gold medal with the United States at the 1998 Jones Cup, a bronze medal with Russia at the 2008 Olympic Games, and a silver medal at EuroBasket 2009, contributing as an experienced guard and playmaker on each team.
Becky Hammon serves as the head coach of the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA. As a coach, she is recognized for offensive system design, player development, game management, and strategic adjustments. Drawing from her experience as an elite point guard, she emphasizes spacing, ball movement, pace, and efficient shot selection. Her teams have consistently ranked among the league's strongest offensive units while maintaining championship-level performance.
Becky Hammon was born and raised in Rapid City, South Dakota. She attended Stevens High School before continuing her basketball career at Colorado State University. Throughout her career, she has maintained strong ties to the sport through playing, coaching, and mentorship.
Hammon has been in a long-term relationship with Brenda Milano since 2015, and together they have two sons. Outside of basketball, she has participated in charitable and community initiatives and has been involved in various leadership and advocacy efforts related to women's opportunities in sports.
She has also developed interests outside basketball, including competitive poker tournaments during the WNBA offseason. Hammon's professional journey has taken her across the United States and Europe, contributing to her experience as both an athlete and coach.
Becky Hammon's legacy spans both playing and coaching careers. As a player, she became one of the most accomplished undrafted athletes in WNBA history, earning six All-Star selections and multiple All-WNBA honors while ranking among the league's top guards of her era.
As a coach, she became the first full-time female assistant coach in NBA history and later the first woman to lead an NBA Summer League championship team and serve as acting head coach during an NBA regular-season game. These milestones expanded opportunities for women in professional basketball coaching.
In the WNBA, Hammon established one of the most successful coaching starts in league history, winning three championships within her first four seasons as head coach of the Las Vegas Aces. Her contributions as both a player and coach were recognized through induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
As a player, Hammon was selected to six WNBA All-Star Games and earned two All-WNBA First Team selections and two All-WNBA Second Team selections. She led the WNBA in assists in 2007, won the WNBA Three-Point Shootout in 2009, and was named to the league's 15th, 20th, and 25th Anniversary Teams. Her No. 25 jersey was retired by the San Antonio Stars organization, and she was inducted into the New York Liberty Ring of Honor.
At Colorado State, she was a three-time WAC Player of the Year, a four-time First-Team All-WAC selection, WAC Freshman of the Year, WAC Tournament MVP, and recipient of the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award. She earned multiple All-American recognitions and remains one of the most decorated players in program history.
As a coach, Hammon won WNBA championships in 2022, 2023, and 2025 and received the WNBA Coach of the Year Award in 2022. She also won the Commissioner's Cup championship in 2022. Her coaching achievements include leading the Spurs to the 2015 NBA Summer League title and becoming the first woman to reach several major NBA coaching milestones.
Internationally, she won a gold medal with the United States at the 1998 Jones Cup and later earned a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games and a silver medal at EuroBasket 2009 while representing Russia. Her overall contributions to basketball have been recognized through induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, and Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame.
Rebecca Lynn "Becky" Hammon is an American-Russian basketball coach and former professional basketball player. Born on March 11, 1977, in Rapid City, South Dakota, she built a distinguished playing career before becoming one of the most notable coaches in professional basketball. Hammon played collegiately at Colorado State University, where she became one of the most accomplished players in program history and earned multiple All-American honors.
Despite going undrafted in the 1999 WNBA Draft, Hammon established herself as one of the league's premier point guards during a 16-year professional career with the New York Liberty and San Antonio Silver Stars. She became known for her scoring, playmaking, leadership, and late-game shot-making ability. Over her playing career, she earned six WNBA All-Star selections, four All-WNBA selections, led the league in assists, and surpassed 5,000 career points.
Following her retirement as a player, Hammon transitioned into coaching. In 2014, she became the first full-time female assistant coach in NBA history when she joined Gregg Popovich's staff with the San Antonio Spurs. During her tenure, she became the first woman to serve as head coach of an NBA Summer League championship team and the first woman to act as head coach during an NBA regular-season game.
In 2021, Hammon was hired as head coach of the Las Vegas Aces. Under her leadership, the Aces won WNBA championships in 2022, 2023, and 2025, establishing one of the league's most successful modern dynasties. She was named WNBA Coach of the Year in her first season and became the first rookie head coach to win a WNBA championship.
Hammon has also represented both the United States and Russia internationally, winning a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games with Russia and a gold medal at the 1998 Jones Cup with the United States. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 for her contributions to the sport.
