Hammon’s all-in on coaching Aces despite her uncertain future

Becky Hammon called a players-only meeting before training camp began. The Aces coach wanted to lay out her expectations for the weeks ahead.

“Obviously whenever we walk in, she wants us to give her 100 percent effort and be locked in 100 percent,” Aces wing Jackie Young said.

More importantly, though, Hammon needed to tell her team what they were going to be able to expect from her.

Hammon emerged as a candidate for the Toronto Raptors’ coaching vacancy Thursday. Sources confirmed to the Review-Journal that the Aces granted the Raptors permission to approach Hammon, who spent eight seasons as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs, despite training camp looming just days away.

So the Aces coach wanted to address her players about her situation. Hammon emphasized she will be transparent about the process, but was adamant that as long as she remains the team’s coach, she will be as committed to the Aces as she’s ever been.

“I’m their coach,” Hammon said, “and they know I love being their coach.”

Young wasn’t surprised to hear Hammon, the reigning WNBA coach of the year, linked to NBA jobs as the season began. The fifth-year wing took massive strides during Hammon’s first season with the team to earn her first All-Star appearance, and Young said she’s simply trying to take advantage of all the time she gets to learn from Hammon — however long that may be.

“She’s a great coach,” Young said. “She’s one of the best in the league, and so with that things are going to come.”

Other Aces players are simply focusing on preparing for their season. Veteran center Kiah Stokes said the whole group is more worried about the target on their backs as champions than rumors about coaching hires in the NBA.

Guard Riquna Williams, preparing for her 11th WNBA season, said the only thing which matters to her is that everyone is locked into the effort it will take to win another championship, something fellow guard Sydney Colson echoed.

“Until she comes to us and says something is going on, we’re showing up every day just like she’s showing up every day,” Colson said.

Two-time MVP Candace Parker had a wider view on the subject. The two-time Olympic gold medalist hopes Hammon will stay with the Aces this season, but Parker doesn’t want to downplay the potential history Hammon, who was a finalist for the Portland Trail Blazers coaching job in 2021, could make as the first woman coach in the NBA.

Parker said years ago it was almost unfathomable to hear a woman mentioned for an NBA job, much less be a highly-touted option.

Parker also said people have to do what’s best for themselves — as evidenced by her decision to join the Aces — and said the team will support their coach no matter what happens with the Raptors.

“It is a huge honor, let’s not second-guess that,” Parker said. “That’s a huge honor for her to be mentioned in that.”

Hammon, meanwhile, reiterated what she told her players during the meeting. She’s invested in her current organization and roster.

“I told them where my time and energy is,” she said, “and that’s with this team.”

Contact reporter Andy Yamashita at ayamashita@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ANYamashita on Twitter.