Atlanta Hawks: 5 long-term options to replace Lloyd Pierce as head coach

5. Becky Hammon

Hammon is without a doubt going to be the first female head coach in NBA history at some point in time. The question is when (and where) it’ll finally happen.

Maybe she’s content to wait it out as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs until Gregg Popovich is ready to hand the reins to someone else, and Hammon would be the most logical successor as someone who’s been serving under him since 2014. Then again, she’s interviewed for NBA head coaching vacancies in the past, so if she gets her shot somewhere, it’s fair to assume she’d take it rather than continue waiting around for Pop’s retirement.

It wouldn’t be the first time a disciple of Popovich took charge of the Hawks either; Atlanta’s best stretch of success in recent years came under Mike Budenholzer, another offshoot of the Popovich coaching tree. Hammon will hopefully get her chance at a head coaching gig here soon, though given the tenuous situation that developed between the Hawks’ younger players and their head coach, as well as the front office’s expectation of being a playoff team moving forward, they may prefer a candidate who’s had experience in the big seat.