Spurs Hire Female Asst. Coach

[Robert Fischer]

The NBA is really smart when it comes to the media and the publicity, and I agree 100% with CurtisontheBay that there is a good chance that this was a calculated move or a "publicity stunt".

It's funny if you over-think it - It helped her get the job because she was a girl....
...yet if she wasn't a girl she may have already had the job...
*mind blown*

There's also no real reason that this will fall flat on it's face, and not work. It's a pretty safe move. Her role is unlikely to entail locker room pep talks and teaching Tim Duncan how to play.

If you think about it too much, there isn't a whole lot most of these NBA assistant coaches can tell the players.

There's a few elite coaches, and a some specialists, but for the most part these guys(and gals?) are simply helping run the team.

[rastajenk]

Originally Posted by CurtisontheBay

Just a reminder- this is an opinion board - time will tell.

She will never be fired- she will leave to "explore other opportunities"

Of course she will. After a short time with Pops, she'll be able to get any high profile college gig she wants. What's wrong with that?

[PressThePace]

Originally Posted by GameTheory

Good hire, and pure sexism to think she can't do the job. It is a coaching position, not a playing position -- there are/have been plenty of coaches in the NBA that have hardly played the game themselves, or not at a very high level. (even among head coaches, e.g. Lawrence Frank) And many of the assistants hardly interact with the players (in terms of telling them what to do ) depending on their duties, although no reason to think she can't do that too eventually. (She is a brand-new first time coach, so I don't think she is going to be ordering people around, but that has nothing to do with her being female or "only from the WNBA".) It is "historic" sure, but won't be a big deal in real terms, and with the Spurs especially I doubt there will any particular friction or issue with it whatsoever. If she continues coaching, she'll probably end up back in women's basketball anyway (because she'll get offers for head coaching jobs)...

Good post.

[PressThePace]

The players on that roster have so much respect for Popovich, this will not be a distraction I assure you.

I highly doubt this is about publicity. They are World Champions...why do they need more publicity? Besides, that's not Pop's style or Buford's for that matter.

And one more thing....sometimes athletes are all lumped into the same category while ignoring the culture around a team. The Spurs have a culture that is based almost entirely on being a professional and acting the right way. That is why this move isn't a stretch.

[RXB]

How many NBA franchises are operated/coached better than the Spurs? Do the Spurs usually make smart decisions or stupid ones? Is Popovich the type of guy to do things as a publicity stunt?

The answers to the above questions are obvious: Zero; smart; no way.

They've hired her because they think she's highly qualified for that particular position. I don't follow women's basketball at all and had never heard of her until yesterday but everything I've read indicates that she is a BB genius.

[PressThePace]

Originally Posted by Robert Fischer

If you think about it too much, there isn't a whole lot most of these NBA assistant coaches can tell the players.

Yes, and if you think about it any further, there isn't a whole lot that some Head Coaches can tell players.

[cj's dad]

I just cannot see the Spurs players responding to her in a positive manner.

My opinion is based on what I perceive to be reality.

[JustRalph]

Heard an interview here in Dallas this morning. San Antonio reporter/newspaper type who travels with the team etc.

He says she tagged along the last half of last season. Apparently the NBA team that she plays for is "under the umbrella" of the Spurs. She was described as having "assisted" with some practices and helping administer travel and other plans, but not much on the court coaching. He said she gets along with the players well, but she was never observed teaching or interacting during drills. Although the reporter did emphasis that she was very involved in working with some new Italian coach that is now working for the team.

The reporter also expressed that being an assistant coach is often a person who helps with logistics around practice, and didn't expect her to be on the floor teaching players "how to play the inside game etc".

I don't see any NBA player taking direct coaching from her. But who knows.....

[Marshall Bennett]

Originally Posted by GameTheory

Publicity? It's dumb? But why? Just because she's a girl and "that won't work", period. Or she isn't qualified (she is obviously qualified, IMHO) or what? (As others have pointed out, it is ALREADY working, they just made it official.)

Yeah, she's a girl (woman). It makes a big difference. A coach has to receive respect and have a high sense of authority. For obvious reasons, or at least it should be obvious, a woman coaching will not do as well men when it comes to coaching other men. This should hold true even more so at the professional level.
How many other female coaches in men's sports do you see around?

[Jay Trotter]

Originally Posted by RXB

How many NBA franchises are operated/coached better than the Spurs? Do the Spurs usually make smart decisions or stupid ones? Is Popovich the type of guy to do things as a publicity stunt?

The answers to the above questions are obvious: Zero; smart; no way.

They've hired her because they think she's highly qualified for that particular position. I don't follow women's basketball at all and had never heard of her until yesterday but everything I've read indicates that she is a BB genius.

RXB hits the nail on the head.

Hard to believe how many dinosaurs still exist in today's world!

[GameTheory]

Originally Posted by Marshall Bennett

Yeah, she's a girl (woman). It makes a big difference. A coach has to receive respect and have a high sense of authority. For obvious reasons, or at least it should be obvious, a woman coaching will not do as well men when it comes to coaching other men. This should hold true even more so at the professional level.
How many other female coaches in men's sports do you see around?

You know Nancy Lieberman was already the head coach of the Spurs D-League team for a year. There was no revolt.

40 years ago, this might have been a thing. These are guys in their 20s for the most part. I was raised in an era where I thought of women as equals and I'm twice their age. And as was posted already, the respect Pop has is unrivaled so if he tells them to respect her too, they will. But I don't think he'll need to say a word. (And she's already been with the team a half-season, and so they obviously don't think there is going to be a problem.)

These progressions always occur 10-20 years after they should because of fear and because the younger generation needs to come into the power positions more. It is happening more and more. Andy Murray, Wimbledon champ and in no need of publicity stunts, recently hired of his own free will Amelie Mauresmo as his coach.

[cj's dad]

Originally Posted by Jay Trotter

RXB hits the nail on the head.

Hard to believe how many dinosaurs still exist in today's world!

Oh to be as enlightened as a card carrying liberal

[Dark Horse]

Originally Posted by JustRalph

Heard an interview here in Dallas this morning. San Antonio reporter/newspaper type who travels with the team etc.

He says she tagged along the last half of last season. Apparently the NBA team that she plays for is "under the umbrella" of the Spurs. She was described as having "assisted" with some practices and helping administer travel and other plans, but not much on the court coaching. He said she gets along with the players well, but she was never observed teaching or interacting during drills. Although the reporter did emphasis that she was very involved in working with some new Italian coach that is now working for the team.

The reporter also expressed that being an assistant coach is often a person who helps with logistics around practice, and didn't expect her to be on the floor teaching players "how to play the inside game etc".

I don't see any NBA player taking direct coaching from her. But who knows.....

Exactly. This is to prep her for the WNBA side of the Spurs culture. The key to the Spurs is their strong culture. They're not going to change it. But they can certainly extend it to the WNBA. She's there to learn; not to teach.

[Jay Trotter]

Originally Posted by CurtisontheBay

Oh to be as enlightened as a card carrying liberal

What's "liberal" got to do with it? Women can be qualified to do anything a man can do. This lady has obviously paid her dues in the game of basketball.

You are a real peace of work. The fact that you even started this thread speaks to your state of mind. The 50's are over tyrannosaurus!

[cj's dad]

Originally Posted by Jay Trotter

What's "liberal" got to do with it? Women can be qualified to do anything a man can do. This lady has obviously paid her dues in the game of basketball.

You are a real peace of work. The fact that you even started this thread speaks to your state of mind. The 50's are over tyrannosaurus!

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Strange then how they can't beat men at the higher levels of golf, tennis, bowling, swimming, weightlifting, track and field, soccer, baseball, football, basketball. .... did I miss any ?

_____ = non contact sports.