Stephen A. Smith UNLEASHES on NBA Owners After Becky Hammon’s Third Title, Demanding They Hire Her.

The Las Vegas Aces have cemented their status as a modern dynasty, capturing their third WNBA championship in a stunning four-year span. This level of rapid, sustained success is historically rare in any professional sports league, and the architect of this empire, Head Coach Becky Hammon, is once again at the epicenter of a raging debate that transcends the sport itself. Following the Finals sweep of the Phoenix Mercury in 2025, controversial sports personality Stephen A. Smith went on the offensive, not just celebrating Hammon’s achievement, but issuing a stunning, two-pronged ultimatum to the entire National Basketball Association establishment.

“But, I’m just talking about Becky Hammon doing what she did in the NBA level as an assistant coach, and coaching the Summer League team for the men to a title before she took the Las Vegas Aces’ job. She has been a staple in basketball, period.”

Smith’s declaration was raw, aggressive, and highly provocative: Hammon is overqualified for the WNBA, and the continued absence of a female head coach in the NBA is a symptom of a profound, systemic gender bias that must be corrected immediately. In a scathing segment, he demanded that any NBA owner with an opening should immediately hire Hammon, framing the issue as one of both meritocracy and moral imperative.

The Dynasty That Built the Case

Hammon’s resume since returning to the WNBA in December 2021 is objectively overwhelming. In just four seasons, she has guided the Aces to three championships, a winning rate of 75% for a WNBA coach. This feat is not just an incredible accomplishment for women’s basketball; it is a signal of elite coaching acumen by any standard, placing her firmly on the WNBA’s Mount Rushmore of coaches. She also secured the WNBA Coach of the Year award in 2022.

This level of dominance—built on tactical brilliance, innovative zone defenses, and a deep, trusting bond with her superstar core, including A’ja Wilson—is precisely why the conversation about her moving to the NBA never truly died, even after she secured a landmark $1 million-plus contract to take the Aces job.

“I’m here to tell you something right now,” Smith declared on The Stephen A. Smith Show, leaning into the urgency of the moment.

“Becky Hammon, as a head coach for the Las Vegas Aces, I’ve said this on many occasions, and I’ll say it again: She deserves to coach in the NBA.”

The NBA Credentials No One Can Ignore

The foundation of Hammon’s NBA readiness isn’t based solely on her WNBA success. Before she ever took the reins in Vegas, Hammon spent seven formative years with the San Antonio Spurs, learning the highest levels of the men’s game under legendary coach Gregg Popovich. She was the first full-time female assistant coach in the NBA and achieved a series of historic firsts that remain unmatched by any other woman in the game.

In 2015, she made history as the first woman to serve as a head coach in the NBA Summer League, leading the Spurs to the championship title. Even more critically, in December 2020, Hammon became the first female acting head coach in NBA history when Popovich was ejected from a game. These groundbreaking achievements solidified her knowledge of the tactical landscape, roster management, and player engagement required at the top tier of professional men’s basketball.

“If I owned a team in the NBA, I would not mind giving her a chance as the head coach of my franchise. That woman knows what she’s doing,” Smith insisted, vouching for her tactical intelligence and commanding presence.

“She has been a staple in basketball, period.”

The Stunning Gender Imbalance Ultimatum

Smith, however, took the debate a dramatic step further, challenging the fundamental coaching dynamic between the two leagues. He criticized the historic imbalance, noting that while the WNBA is led by many brilliant women, the league still features a significant number of male head coaches. The NBA, conversely, has never had a single female head coach.

This stark reality led Smith to issue his most controversial statement yet—a direct challenge to the WNBA’s hiring practices as a reflection of the NBA’s implicit bias.

“And I’m just really big on this, man: I believe men should not be allowed to be head coaches in the WNBA,” Smith said, immediately creating a media firestorm. He clarified his explosive stance by linking it directly to the NBA’s failure to hire a woman in the top job.

“Because you don’t see women coaching in the WNBA. If you gonna do that to the women, having a man coach the WNBA team, then a woman should be allowed to be the head coach of a NBA team. That’s what I believe.”

This is not merely a critique; it is a full-throated demand for coaching parity. Smith’s argument suggests that if men are going to benefit from opportunities across both leagues, then the most qualified women—like Hammon—must be granted the ultimate opportunity in the premier league.

For Hammon, who has already been reportedly interviewed and overlooked for several high-profile NBA head coaching vacancies in the past, Smith’s outspoken advocacy provides undeniable validation. She has demonstrated unparalleled winning ability, built a dynasty, and developed a reputation for tactical innovation.

“At the end of day, we’re all human, and we’re humans that wanted to get it right and get it right together.”

The question is no longer whether Becky Hammon is qualified to coach in the NBA, but whether the league is truly ready to break a barrier that many believe should have fallen years ago. The next NBA coaching vacancy will be viewed through this lens, with Stephen A. Smith and legions of supporters watching to see if championship merit can finally overcome an entrenched, gender-based reluctance.