Becky Hammon: The Las Vegas Aces history maker passed over by the NBA

Silencing doubters is something that WNBA coach Becky Hammon is no stranger to.

Throughout her entire basketball career, the player turned coach has written her name in the history books.

Last weekend, Hammon became the first head coach in WNBA history to win a title during her debut season after she spearheaded the Las Vegas Aces to their first Championship.

The 2022 Finals saw the Aces beat the Connecticut Sun in spectacular fashion, marking a historic milestone for the players and their coach.

But based on Hammon’s inspiring ‘never say die’ career, it’s no real surprise that she has achieved such a landmark in her first season with the Las Vegas outfit.

Hammon is an American-Russian ex-basketball player who has built her legacy solely on self-belief.

The former point guard started her collegiate career in 1995 at Colorado State University and by the end of her tenure, she was the most prolific scorer in the history of the program.

Hammon was inducted into the university’s Hall of Fame and her No.25 jersey was retired 20 years after her college debut.

She achieved this despite being told, at 5-foot-6, that she was too short and too slow to make it in the top division of college basketball.

Against all odds, such an astonishing amateur foundation would have surely set her up for an immediate ascension to professional level. Yet the history-making rookie found herself undrafted in what should have been her breakthrough year.

Hammon joined the New York Liberty in 1999 and despite even more doubt being cast on her, she went on to become a six-time WNBA All-Star and was named twice in the All-WNBA first team.

She was also included in the 15th, 20th and 25th WNBA Anniversary Team.

On the international stage, Hammon won