Spurs' Becky Hammon Becomes First Woman To Act As Head Coach Of An NBA Team

"You got 'em" — with that brief handover, Becky Hammon became the first woman to coach an NBA team Wednesday night, leading the San Antonio Spurs after coach Gregg Popovich was ejected in the first half.

"Obviously, it's a big deal. It's a substantial moment," Hammon said after the game. She noted that she has worked toward the milestone for years, spending more than a decade in San Antonio as either a player or a coach.

But Hammon added that she would have preferred to coach her team to a victory, a tall order as they faced the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers — and on Lakers superstar LeBron James' birthday, no less.

"Honestly, in the moment, I was just trying to win the game," Hammon said. "I say this a lot, but I try not to think about the huge picture and the huge aspect of it, because it can get overwhelming."

It's her job, Hammon said, to stay focused on helping her players succeed. After the game, it seemed that focus had not wavered: As Hammon spoke, she was still holding the rolled-up sheet of stats and notes coaches rely upon to make in-game adjustments.