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San Antonio Spurs name Becky Hammon assistant coach

After her long and storied WNBA career comes to an end, Becky Hammon will start her coaching career with the defending NBA champions.

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The San Antonio Spurs have named Becky Hammon an assistant coach effective for the 2014-15 NBA season.

In a press release, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said:

I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff. Having observed her working with our team this past season, I’m confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs.

Hammon currently plays for the San Antonio Stars WNBA team, where she ranks in the Top 10 for points (7th overall), assists (4th overall), and games played (445). She played for the Russian women's national team in the Olympics for the 2008, where she won the bronze medal, and also was on the 2012 Olympic team as well.

And as Popovich mentioned in the press release, Hammon worked with the Spurs during the 2013-14 NBA season. Here's a video from the league for more.

This is definitely big news and a great day for the WNBA. She is the first woman to serve as an NBA assistant coach since Lisa Boyer who was on the Cleveland Cavaliers' staff in 2001-02. She is now the associate head coach for South Carolina women's basketball team.

So now, Hammon is working in the best organization in professional basketball. That definitely says something. If she does a good job with the Spurs organization, and I'm sure she well, could we eventually see her be an NBA team's head coach in the not-too-distant future?

In addition, who are some other WNBA players who you think could be NBA coaches when they decide to hang it up? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.