Becky Hammond is thriving as the Aces head coach, Popovich still a huge influence

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When Becky Hammon knew it was time to leave the NBA last winter after being an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs for eight seasons, she was faced with a tough choice.

She had to choose between the two WNBA franchises she once played for, and both lobbied hard to make her their head coach.

"It was either going to be Vegas or New York," the Aces coach said recently after a practice in New York. "I felt it was time for me to leave and to grow and have a different challenge. It was one or the other. By mid-December, I was like for sure I’m getting off this NBA path right now."

She had been a candidate for a few NBA head coaching jobs over the last few years, but never got them. She also had received some college offers in the past, as well as other assistant jobs in the NBA, but turned them down.

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"This is way more advantageous and more beneficial for me than go be an assistant coach in Sacramento or Oklahoma City or some other (NBA) team," Hammon said.

The former Liberty guard acknowledged it was tough to say no to New York owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai, saying she was really close to taking the job in the Big Apple.

Becky Hammond is thriving in her first year with the Las Vegas Aces.  (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Still, the 45-year-old Hammon has no regrets with her choice and becoming the first WNBA coach to command a million dollar annual salary.

"It’s been one of the best decisions of my life. I absolutely love it," said Hammon, who was one of the All-Star coaches in Chicago last weekend.

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