Nancy Lieberman knows a thing or two about being a trailblazer.
Now, the Basketball Hall of Famer is giving credit to Becky Hammon for paving the way for her to be hired as an assistant coach with the Kings.
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“If Becky doesn’t coach in the Summer League, and win, you and I might not be doing this interview, whether I’m qualified or not,” Lieberman told NBA.com’s David Aldridge. “And I know I’m qualified.”
Hammon, a former WNBA star, coached the the Spurs' Summer League team last month after being hired as the league’s first female assistant coach last fall. Lieberman helped coach the Mavericks in the Summer League and will assist George Karl with the retooled Kings this fall.
Lieberman, 57, says she doesn’t mind being second, comparing her current situation to that of former MLB star Larry Doby. The Hall of Fame outfielder was the second African-American to play in the major leagues, joining the Indians less than three months after Jackie Robinson debuted with the Dodgers in 1947.
“Look at all the African-American players who played baseball after Jackie. That’s the true essence of success,” Lieberman said. “For Branch Rickey (the Dodgers' general manager at the time), what he and Jackie did was profound. So what Pop and Becky did, whatever the timing, was profound.”
If Lieberman’s impact is anywhere near Doby’s, the Kings got themselves a steal.
"Nobody gets hired by what it says on a resume," said Lieberman, who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996. "You get hired by the relationships, and proving that you have the wherewithal. I’m thrilled for (Hammon). Quite frankly, I’m thrilled for me."