Becky Hammon to replace Bill Laimbeer as Aces coach

WNBA legend Becky Hammon is finalizing a five-year deal to become the Aces’ coach, a person with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Review-Journal late Thursday.

Bill Laimbeer, who has coached the Aces the past four seasons to three WNBA semifinals appearances and one WNBA Finals, will step away but could assume another position within the organization.

Hammon’s deal will make her the WNBA’s highest-paid coach, the person confirmed.

Hammon, 44, has been an assistant coach with the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs since 2014. She was the first full-time female assistant coach in any of the four major U.S. sports leagues and became the first female acting head coach in NBA history during a December 2020 game against the Lakers after Gregg Popovich was ejected.

Hammon will finish the season with the Spurs, though the WNBA’s new league year begins Saturday.

She was a six-time WNBA All-Star and is a member of the league’s 25th anniversary team — playing her prime years for the San Antonio Stars, who became the Aces in 2017.

The Aces retired her No. 25 jersey in September. She is still the franchise’s career leader in assists (1,333), 3-pointers (498) and free-throw percentage (92.1). She ranks second in points (3,474) and career scoring average (15.6) and fourth in 3-point percentage (38.8).

“Being here in Las Vegas … it’s another huge honor,” Hammon said the day before the ceremony. “I really appreciate the Aces digging back into history and honoring people that came before. That’s how you build culture. That’s how you build character in your organization.”

The Aces were 24-8 in 2021, losing to the Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA semifinals.

Contact Sam Gordon at sgordon@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon on Twitter.