‘An Evening with Becky Hammon’, April 5th at The Tobin Center
Becky Hammon is coming to The Tobin Center for ‘An Evening with Becky Hammon to be moderated by the President and CEO of San Antonio Sports, Jenny Carnes. This event will be held in the H-E-B Performance Hall Wednesday, April 5th beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The Tobin Center’s press release gives the audience a glimpse into these 2 women who have been and continue to be a part of the San Antonio Community in many ways,
About Becky Hammon:
A six-time WNBA All-Star, Hammon retired from the San Antonio Stars at age 37 and made an historic leap across town to the Spurs, becoming the first paid, full-time female assistant coach in NBA history. On December 31, 2021, Becky was named the Head Coach of the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces.
High School
In high school, Hammon broke every Rapid City (S.D.) Stevens school record en route to capturing 1994-95 Gatorade South Dakota Girls Basketball Player of the Year honors, averaging 26 points, five steals and four rebounds as a senior.
College – Colorado State University
The major colleges, however, thought she was too small, too slow and too South Dakota. Colorado State took a chance, and the 5-foot-6 point guard broke all of the Rams records too, earning All-American recognition, winning the Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award as the best senior player under 5-foot-8, and passing 11-year NBA veteran Keith Van Horn as the leading scorer—male or female—in Western Athletic Conference history.
WNBA
In spite of all that, Hammon was not selected in the four-round 1999 WNBA draft. She signed with the New York Liberty, however, launching a 16-year career that earned her props as one of the top 15 players in WNBA history.
OLYMPICS
In 2008, Hammon made a hard decision and joined Russia’s national team and captured an Olympic bronze medal in the 2008 Olympics. She played again for Russia in 2012, and on the plane ride back from London struck up a conversation with the man next to her: Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.
NBA – San Antonio Spurs
In 2013, Hammon played just one WNBA game and tore her ACL. While injured, she unofficially interned with the Spurs, sitting behind the bench during home games, watching practices and attending film sessions.
On August 5, 2014, Becky was hired by the Spurs.
One thing that hasn’t changed for Hammon is her South Dakota roots. Ron Riherd, Becky’s high school coach, went to see her play in the WNBA multiple times and remembers Hammon being endlessly accommodating to fans and admirers after games.
“I certainly never forget where I come from,” Hammon said. “There’s not a professional team in South Dakota anywhere, so I think the fact that they get a chance to interact with these professional athletes in unique situations, to be able to impact those young lives, hopefully that’s something they never forget. Hopefully I gave them a piece of knowledge or encouragement or something that will help them later on in life.”
That hospitality has still been present in Hammon’s career as an assistant coach. When Riherd got the boys head coaching job at Stevens High School two years ago, he called Hammon and asked her if he could come to San Antonio and watch a Spurs practice. When Riherd was down at a practice, Spurs head coach Greg Popovich came over to introduce himself and exchange some banter, which led to the subject of Hammon.
“Pop said, ‘Oh by the way, did she do to you what she’s doing to me?’ and I said, ‘I’m not sure,’” Riherd said. “And he said, ‘Damn, I think she’s after my job already.’”
WNBA – Coaching
On December 31, 2021, Becky was named the Head Coach of the Las Vegas Aces, after 8 seasons with the San Antonio Spurs as an Assistant Coach.
“I am so excited to return to the WNBA and grateful for Mark Davis and Nikki Fargas having a vision for me to lead the Aces,” said Hammon. “This is where I come from, and I wouldn’t be me without the W. I’m thrilled to be able to give back and lead this next group of women.”
Becky replaced Bill Laimbeer, who coached the Aces for the team’s first four years in Las Vegas.
In August 2022, Becky was named the WNBA Coach of the Year, making her the first former WNBA player to win the award in her debut season.
In September 2022, the Las Vegas Aces won the WNBA Championship. Becky was the first WNBA Head Coach to win a championship in their rookie year of head coaching.
About Jenny Carnes:
A native of Uvalde, Texas, college basketball lured Carnes to San Antonio in 1995 with a scholarship to the University of the Incarnate Word where she was an All- American for UIW’s nationally ranked basketball team and a member of the tennis team as well. She graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, specializing in Sports Management. In addition to being named the business school’s “Top Business Management Student” and UIW’s “Student-Athlete of the Year” in 1999, Carnes was inducted into the University’s Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 2005 Inaugural Class.
Carnes remains rooted to the sports community through her work with San Antonio Sports, as a regular speaker for local university sports management classes and as a student mentor for sports management students. She began working at San Antonio Sports in September of 1999 as an intern.
The majority of her free time is spent chasing after daughters, Evie and Kate and supporting her partner Elizabeth, who is a Hematology/Oncology physician. In addition to her career in the San Antonio sports community, Jenny has also served as a FIBA Technical Delegate and Commissioner for the International Federation of Basketball throughout the qualification windows for the 2019 World Championship and the 2020 Olympics.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at tobincenter.org, via phone (210) 223-8624 or in-person at The Tobin Center Box Office (100 Auditorium Circle, 78205). Box Office hours are Monday-Friday 10a-6p and Saturday, 10a-2p. VIP package with Meet & Greet available.
