Does Becky Hammon want to coach in the NBA?

Amit Mann is joined by Jeff Garcia of Locked on Spurs to detail what he's learned about Las Vegas Aces coach Becky Hammon and Spurs assistant Mitch Johnson. Both are reportedly being considered for the Toronto Raptors' vacant head coaching position. Listen to the full podcast on the 'Raptors Over Everything' podcast feed.

Video Transcript

AMIT MANN: Yeah, if she wants it. Stanley Johnson sent a tweet a few days ago, actually, also saying that he'd love to see Becky in the NBA. And he kind of gave her a vouch of confidence, saying that she's ready for it, and she can do it. Pau Gasol has indicated as well.

JEFF GARCIA: Mhm.

AMIT MANN: I guess, like, for someone like her, say the Aces win another title. There has to be an element of OK, I've done this.

JEFF GARCIA: Mhm.

AMIT MANN: What's next for me? They want her. And maybe she wants to take on a challenge. I'm sure the money's going to be there. And I'm sure the money probably would be a little bit better. I mean, if we're talking, being honest here, it would be better in the NBA.

JEFF GARCIA: Mhm.

AMIT MANN: So does she want that? When was it that she indicated that she wasn't interested in NBA jobs? Was it a few seasons ago?

JEFF GARCIA: That was after-- yeah, after she got the job with the WNBA. And I think she did an interview, and she was like, yeah, maybe the NBA is not in the future future, like, the current future for her.

But things change. People change their opinions. She-- she could rattle off-- defend the title this season, and then rattle off one more. She'd go, OK, I did it here.

But I think if she does make the leap back to the NBA, you may have to-- you may have to open the bank a little bit. I think you may have to open up the bank for her because she'll come in with credentials.

I mean, the biggest one, Hall of Fame. You're going to get-- you're--

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

JEFF GARCIA: --whether with the Raptors or whoever, you're getting a Hall of Fame player slash coach--

AMIT MANN: Yeah, exactly.

JEFF GARCIA: --coming into your program. So-- and by the way, it's about time for that, too. You know she's been nominated, I'm going to guess about four or five times that she's been passed up?

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

JEFF GARCIA: Yeah, so--

AMIT MANN: I mean, the Basketball Hall of Fame, I just think of-- I don't know point by point. But I can say that the past few seasons have been pretty stacked when it comes to the NBA Hall of Fame. Like, some surefire, they have to go in.

And she didn't make it. But I mean, she's getting her due. And I don't doubt that if she wants an NBA job, she can get it.

Through the time that you did-- you were around her, what did you gather from it in terms of the things that we talked about with Mitch, like player-coach, offensive philosophy, defensive philosophy? Anything you can offer there would be great.

JEFF GARCIA: I'll give you a story about her off the court.

AMIT MANN: Ooh, love stories, yes.

JEFF GARCIA: I am at the AT&T Center. And it's pregame. And players are just warming up, shooting around, individual warm-ups going on with coaches. And Becky comes out.

And she's walking on the court. And she's going to go work with-- I think it was-- I think it was DeMar DeRozan. And-- but you know, fans are being fans. And they're yelling her name, Becky! Becky!

You know, and this couple was really close to the tunnel where she came out.

AMIT MANN: OK.

JEFF GARCIA: And again, raising-- they're raising their beer cups. They're saying, Becky! Becky! Hey! She stops, she turns around. She walks off the court, comes to the partition-- or the rope, and starts chatting with the fans. And she's chatting with them and interacting with them. They're all laughing.

And then I can barely-- it was inaudible from where I-- from where I was standing. But it got audible as she's moving away to go back to her job. And she turns around and looks at the couple.

And she goes, by the way, I'll take one of those too, right now. She's pointing to one of the beers. So very fan-friendly, very-- really takes time to give back to those that are important to any NBA franchise, which is the fans.

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

JEFF GARCIA: So that's one of my favorite stories that I like to share about Becky.

AMIT MANN: Yeah, she's media trained, too. She's done-- all that's gonna be just fine. She knows what she's doing.

JEFF GARCIA: Yes, she is. And then of course, on the court, I mean, guard-orientated. So she worked a lot with DeMar. She worked a lot with Dejounte Murray. Dejounte Murray loves her, felt that she really helped him propel his game at the position.

AMIT MANN: Hmm.

JEFF GARCIA: Tony Parker, too. She fine-tuned Tony Parker when he was a Spur, before he went to Charlotte. So she-- if you have a guard on the roster, and that needs a little fine-tuning there--

AMIT MANN: Yeah.

JEFF GARCIA: --you're going to get it. You're going--

AMIT MANN: Well, we would love to have a few guards on the Raptors. Unfortunately, we're all 6' 8", 6' 9" forwards. But yes, we could definitely use some more guards, some more shooting, some more ball handling, some more screen navigation. The Raptors could use all of that. And I'm hoping Masai addresses that during the offseason. But yes, as you were.

JEFF GARCIA: Yeah, but all in all, I think-- and also too, even with again, just like Mitch, same thing with her, with the media-- very-- again, she's not rude or anything, but she shows her passion, for sure.

AMIT MANN: Sure.

JEFF GARCIA: You know, she-- she'll answer the questions. And she'll be direct and-- but if it's something like-- and I'm making this up-- oh, so-and-so turned the ball over, or the team collectively turned the ball over X amount of times, she will let them know--

AMIT MANN: Definitely.

JEFF GARCIA: --we can't be turning the ball over. And she'll talk like that, you know? So she'll show her passion with the media. So very-- but again, good with the media, very friendly.

AMIT MANN: Mhm.

JEFF GARCIA: And I think she-- I mean-- I mean, we'll just wait to see which team will pull the trigger and bring her in. Maybe it'll be the Raptors. I mean, it looks like she got the vote of confidence from Johnson, so--

AMIT MANN: Yeah.