Aside from winning their fifth NBA championship this year, the San Antonion Spurs are making another mark in NBA history. The organization took a stride in breaking a gender barrier this week by hiring Becky Hammon, of the WNBA San Antonio Stars, as their new assistant coach.

After 16 straight seasons, the six-time All Star announced her retirement as a player July 23rd. She began her career in 1999 with the New York Liberty and played her last eight seasons with the San Antonio Stars. Hammon can now add “first full-time female assistant coach in the NBA” to her extensive resume.

The more impressive part is she was in the running with many others and didn’t receive the job just because she’s a female, she soley deserved it as a person.

“I know Coach Pop has made it very clear to me that I’m being hired because of my basketball IQ and because I’m qualified,” Hammon said. “He said, ‘It just so happens you are a woman, but I’m hiring you because of your IQ and your personal relationship skills.’ I’m just grateful that they see something in me that fits in with them and their organization.”

The amount of women in “male dominated” sports has increased tremendously over the last couple decades. Hammon’s accomplishment is a groundbreaking milestone for far more than just the NBA organization. This opens the opportunity for other qualified females to have a fair chance at higher level positions in professional sports. The Spurs have always had a reputation for being progressive, and different from other teams in the way they build and execute as a team. Adding Hammon to the roster is another example of just that.

“I very much look forward to the addition of Becky Hammon to our staff,” Coach Popovich said in a statement to the press. “Having observed her working with our team this past season, I’m confident her basketball IQ, work ethic and interpersonal skills will be a great benefit to the Spurs.”

It will be interesting to see her play her role as one of Coach Pop’s assistants this upcoming season.

But we can’t forget to mention Lisa Boyer when talking about female coaches in the NBA.

Boyer was actually the very first female on a NBA coaching staff under John Lucas while he coached the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2001-2002 season. However, without discrediting Boyer’s achievement, she was not paid by the NBA for this position, and was only part-time.

Nonetheless, Boyer’s first step into the NBA is definitely historically important and commendable. Hammon’s the next step for women in the NBA. And it’s only a matter of time before there is a female Head Coach in the league.