Before we began, I’m not the first person to suggest this coaching hire for the Orlando Magic. The hometown paper did it a couple of years back (story HERE).
They were right then. And we’re all right now. They should make Becky Hammon the first female full time head basketball coach in NBA history.
It all works.
Hammon is a winner: She was a winner as a player. She’s learned under one of the greatest coaches to ever do it in Greg Popovich. Heck, she’d be one of the most qualified to take the Magic job in the modern era.
Hammon would fill seats: We don’t have a draw on the roster right now. We’ve seen flashes of brillance from various players but they can’t stay healthy. We need a reason for fans to return to the Amway Center. And the introduction tour in the 407 would be simply beautiful.
Hammon would finally get the Magic to do something memorable: Sadly, in thirty years, the Orlando Magic have accomplished very little. Zero championships. Two finals. We had Shaq and Penny. And that’s about it. Hiring a qualified woman like Hammon would be lauded across the entire world of sports. And for all of the right reasons.
Hammon would make sense: She’s 44 years old. We’re rebuilding. She has the time to make this work. There will have to be multiple drafts, and a lot of development need for this young roster. Clifford didn’t want to wait. Hopefully, she would be willing to.
Enough is enough. It’s 2021. The Magic need to make an impact that will lead to a return to the playoffs and a promising young team. We also need a reason to cheer again.
Becky Hammon might be the right one to get it all done.