Becky Hammon on Blazers Job: 'I Knew I Was Second'

Becky Hammon opened up to CNBC about her place in the Blazers' coaching search.

Neil Olshey insisted during Chauncey Billups' introductory press conference that Becky Hammon being a finalist for the Trail Blazers' coaching job was actually an "endorsement." Still not a head coach despite possessing one of the gaudiest assistant resumés in basketball, though, Hammon isn't satisfied with coming in second—and apparently knew all along she was Portland's backup choice.

During a wide-ranging interview with CNBC's Jabari Young, Hammon opened up about her place in the Blazers' coaching search.

"I knew I was second," she said. "I knew who they wanted. And I’m OK with that, because every race I’ve gotten into my entire life, I’ve been behind, and I’m OK with that. And that’s just how it is. But at the same time, I’m not ignorant to what I’m going up against.”

Hammon and Mike D'Antoni were the runners-up behind Billups to replace Terry Stotts in Portland. Both received second interviews with the Blazers' decision-making brass, and Hammon was reportedly the preferred candidate of owner Jody Allen.

Though Allen was purportedly enamored with the idea of hiring the NBA's first woman head coach, Billups' preexisting relationship with Olshey—as well as Damian Lillard—clearly loomed larger. Hammon also told CNBC she's not interested in getting a lead job due to her gender.

"I need to be the right coach—not male or female—the right coach, for the right team, in the right city, at the right time," she said.

Hammon, now the top assistant under Gregg Popovich with the San Antonio Spurs, will eventually get a head-coaching job. While she acknowledges the adverse role being a woman plays in her candidacy for open positions, Hammon says she's "happy" that "the needle is moving." 

Regardless of the Blazers' real interest in hiring her, though, Hammon's comments cement what's been obvious since before Billups accepted the job. 

He was earmarked by Olshey as Portland's next head coach very early in the process of finding Stotts' successor. Nothing Hammon or any other candidate could have done was likely to change that, for better or worse.

[Jabari Young, CNBC]

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