NBA Commissioner Says he has ‘No Doubt’ a Woman can be a NBA Head Coach

Becky Hammon, who coached the San Antonio Spurs to the Summer League Championships, has impressed everyone.

After watching her work with the team and leading them to victory, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated that he has "no doubt" that one day there will be a female head coach in the league. Silver, who praised the Spurs for hiring her last season as the league's first full-time female assistant, stated that he texted and emailed her personally after the Spurs won Monday night.

"No different than for me in coming up in my career, unless you're given those opportunities, you're never going to show your ability to be successful," Silver said. "So I'm enormously proud of her and I'm enormously proud of the players who've quickly seen that she's a top-notch coach and have been willing to follow her."

Hammon used to play for the WNBA before she retired in San Antonio. Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich hired her as an assistant during the regular season. He then put her in charge of the summer league team. After losing the first game, the Spurs went on to win it all. Hammon's success could pave the way for more talented female coaches and assistants.

"I think just like we've seen enormous change in our society, just in the last decade, I think that's another ceiling, another barrier that will be broken," Silver said. "And it takes women like Becky being out there. You need pioneers and there's been other pioneers before her, but I think you couldn't ask for more of a complete package in terms of former player, student of the game and someone who's able to work within a strong organization like the Spurs."

After the win, Hammon received a lot of praise.

Player Jonathan Simmons said, (via Ben Golliver), "She's a player's coach. Guys my age all like a player's coach. She did a great job with us. She was solid the whole way. She did what she was supposed to do...It's always good to be a part of history. This day will go down in the books for years to come...I lover her. I barely know her and I love her already."

Bobby Marks tweeted:

I know this is a bold statement. If I was running a team and had a head coaching opening. The first call would be to Becky Hammon.

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 21, 2015

Although a head coach position will probably not happen for another few years, Hammon definitely got the attention of everyone in the league.