While the Charlotte Hornets and James Borrego were putting together a dominant display on the road against the Mavericks in Dallas on Wednesday, Spurs assistant Becky Hammon was making history four hours north in San Antonio.
With the Lakers in town, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich was ejected midway through the second quarter. Hammon took over as acting head coach, becoming the first-ever female to hold such a role in the NBA.
Borrego, who previously served on the Spurs staff alongside Hammon, spoke after his game about Hammon making history.
“Becky’s a fantastic coach,” he said. “She’s got a bright future. I loved coaching with her and being a part of a staff that was united and I’m proud of her. She’s breaking barriers. She’s someone that my daughter looks up to.
“I couldn’t be more proud of her,” Borrego continued. “Whether she took over tonight or not, she’s a fantastic coach. She’s got a bright future and I’ve been watching her for many years. I’m really proud of her.”
Prior to landing the head coaching role with the Hornets, Borrego served as an assistant for the Spurs for three seasons, starting in 2015-16. Hammon joined the Spurs staff in the season prior, 2014-15, as an assistant coach.
Hammon has broken a number of barriers already in her time with the Spurs. She became the first female head coach in Summer League history in 2015 and was the first female to serve on an All-Star game coaching staff in 2016.
