Becky Hammon was “Big Shot Becky” before she became the brain of the Las Vegas Aces. The first female NBA assistant coach is used to beating long odds. Hammon retired in 2014 to turn towards full-time coaching, as an unofficial internship with Gregg Popovich ultimately led the San Antonio Stars to put Hammon on the sidelines with Popovich. The WNBA star player has successfully transitioned into a legendary head coach, winning WNBA titles in both of her first two years in Vegas. Let’s look at Hammon’s journey from Rapid City to the biggest stage in basketball. 

Where Is Becky Hammon From and What Is Her Nationality?

Becky Hammon was born on March 11, 1977, in Rapid City, South Dakota, to Bev and Martin Hammon. Hammon is an American by birth, but in 2007, she naturalised as a Russian citizen to complete her Olympic dream at the Beijing Olympics. It was a controversial decision at the time as U.S. coach Anne Donovan questioned Hammon’s patriotism, calling her a traitor for playing for Russia, but Hammon remained undeterred. 

“The jersey that I wear has never made me who I was. It has nothing to do with what’s written on my heart,” Hammon told ESPN after the decision. “Will I be playing for Russia? Yes. But I’m absolutely 100 percent still an American. I love our country. I love what we stand for. This is an opportunity to fulfill my dream of playing in the Olympics.”

Despite being a standout for the San Antonio Stars, she was overlooked by the American team in the list released earlier this Summer. Hammon signed with CSKA Moscow in a deal that paved the way for her to suit up for Russia’s Olympic team. The American basketball team backtracked later on and invited her to try out for the national team, but Hammon’s contractual obligation prevented her from doing so. Therefore, in 2025, Hammon holds dual citizenship.

What Is Becky Hammon’s Ethnicity?

Becky Hammon’s specific ethnicity isn’t publicly documented; she is American by birth and later became a naturalized Russian citizen. Based on her appearance, Hammon is of White, Caucasian ethnicity, and she has no ancestral ties with Russia despite having its citizenship. 

What Religion Does Becky Hammon Follow?

Hammon is a devout Christian. According to The New Yorker, Hammon adopted the religion at the age of 7, and her family attended church in South Dakota every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday night. Her mother, Bev, thought she’d become a minister or a missionary. The Las Vegas head coach carries her faith into her job as it gives her “courage and comfort.”

“You can’t separate the two,” she said of her faith and basketball. “It would be like trying to strain my white blood cells from my red blood cells. It would be like trying to separate my personality from my soul.”

Becky Hammon’s Family Background

Becky Hammon’s father, Martin, was a longtime basketball coach and a regular in the local recreation leagues. That is where Becky got her basketball bug from, as her father jokes that she “came out of the womb loving basketball.” While her mother has been described as a steady support in Hammon’s journey to the top. Hammon has two siblings, Matt and Gina, who were her early basketball opponents. 

“I have pictures of myself, like two and three years old, and I had a basketball, full size,” Becky Hammon said, “I never remember a time in my life where I didn’t have a basketball. That’s the honest-to-God truth.”

The Hammon family lived on 3.5 acres in the Black Hills National Forest, 12 miles southwest of downtown. Bordering U.S. Forest Service land, their Black Hills backyard doubled as a wild playground for Becky, Matt, and Gina. The trio’s court was a driveway slab; the hoop hung from the deck overhang above, turning every game into rugged, backyard hoops. Long rebounds and loose balls would skip down a long hill into the woods where mountain lions were a frequent sight,so it was  best to make every shot.

“I didn’t have any neighbors,” Becky Hammon said. “And if you missed, the ball went and rolled for 30 yards.”

That’s what made her such a deadly shooter in the WNBA, shooting at 43.8% in her 16 seasons. Growing up in such an area, it’s natural that the now-coach spent their leisure time fishing, hunting, riding three-wheelers in the woods, and wakeboarding on Lake Angostura. Hammon has little time to fish nowadays as she is busy coaching the Las Vegas Aces to glory.