When the Las Vegas Aces hired Becky Hammon in 2022, even they might not have realized the kind of precedent she was about to set—back-to-back championships and just two series short of a historic three-peat. With two titles and a Coach of the Year award to her name, she’s got nothing left to prove. And let’s not forget–she also made history as the first full-time female assistant coach in the NBA. But with recent shifts in the NBA coaching landscape, more than a few eyes have turned towards the Aces HC.

Yes, Greg Popovich is retiring! Popovich and the Spurs announced on Friday that he will transition to president of basketball operations after leading the team for nearly three decades. He suffered a stroke in November and took an indefinite leave, with assistant Mitch Johnson stepping in as interim head coach.

The Spurs were quick to announce his replacement. Shortly after the announcement, the franchise confirmed that Johnson has been hired as the permanent head coach. But things could have been quite different if Becky Hammon had decided to stay instead of leaving San Antonio in 2021. We’d be looking at the first female head coach in NBA history. ESPN analyst Jay Williams even suggested that Coach Becky Hammon could be a candidate.

“Talk about a through-line, talk about championship experience with the Las Vegas Aces,” he said on First Take. “She would be an absolute beast as a head coach.” He received a nod, too from fellow analyst. “I love that,” Stephen A. Smith had responded. “And she would deserve it.” 

But, of course, that didn’t transpire, and now we know the two analysts weren’t the only ones banking on the possibility.

Fans couldn’t help but wonder what might have been if Becky Hammon had stayed with Popovich. She was widely seen as his eventual successor before choosing a different path. But fate had other plans. As soon as the news broke, social media lit up with fans voicing their thoughts–many believing Hammon still deserves a shot.

Fans left wondering about Becky Hammon after Popovich announces retirement

Fans were left with plenty of “what ifs” about Becky Hammon. One fan asked, “Did she make the right choice by becoming a WNBA Championship head coach, or should she have stayed in the NBA and waited for Pop to retire?” Another fan echoed the sentiment, saying,  “With Gregg Popovich stepping down as Spurs coach, I reflect back and wonder. In 2021, it looked like Becky Hammon was in line to take over when Pop was ready to hand the team over. Instead, she went to the Aces and won 2 WNBA Championships. Would she have been named coach today?”

Becky Hammon served as an assistant under Gregg Popovich from 2014 to 2021. In 2020, she broke barriers by becoming the first woman to act as head coach in an NBA regular-season game, stepping in after Popovich was ejected during a matchup against the Lakers. The wildest part? She was leading a team that included Mitch Johnson–now the Spurs’ new head coach–on her bench as an assistant. That moment was huge, not just for Hammon but for the league. She had the full respect of the organization. “When she speaks, we are all ears,” former Spurs star DeMar DeRozan once said.

So it’s only natural for one to expect she’d take over after Greg.

When the news of Popovich stepping down hit the headlines, Becky Hammon was the first name on fans’ minds. “Love you, Coach Pop. Get Becky Hammon on the phone immediately,” one fan tweeted. Another added,“Becky Hammon would be an amazing replacement for Coach Pop. And the Spurs are exactly the type of organization to take the leap and have the NBAs first female head coach.” 

And honestly, they’re right. The Spurs have always valued continuity and culture. That’s why Mitch Johnson, someone who’s been in the system, got the nod. If Becky was still around, there’s every chance she would’ve been handed the keys. Her resume speaks for itself–an 87-29 record and two WNBA titles in just three seasons with the Aces. It was never about her not being the right fit. It was just about timing and circumstances.

One fan couldn’t hide their frustration over Hammon not getting the Spurs job and pointed fingers at the NBA. “Pop is retiring as coach and his best student is now the coach in the wnba bc the nba is so stupid they let her go, let’s see who is the one in charge now” the fan said.

Back in 2021, Becky Hammon interviewed for the Portland Trail Blazers’ head coaching job but didn’t make the final cut. The role eventually went to Chauncey Billups. After that setback, she turned her focus to the WNBA, taking the head coaching job with the Las Vegas Aces. And the rest, as they say, is history. Since then, there haven’t been any rumors linking Becky Hammon to an NBA job. One can only wonder if that opportunity has now officially passed her by. With her incredible success in the WNBA, it seems her future is firmly set there, but it’s hard not to think about the “what could have been” had she stayed with Spurs.