South Dakota basketball legend speaks on key to success at Sioux Falls annual event
For Becky Hammon, six-time WNBA All-Star, former NBA San Antonio Spurs assistant coach and now WNBA head coach for the Las Vegas Aces, she carved her own path to success.
Hammon began her basketball stardom on a concrete slab hidden amongst the Ponderosa pines of the Black Hills outside of Rapid City.
Hammon's story is not just about athletic prowess; it's about seizing opportunities, embracing challenges and staying true to oneself. She attributes her achievements to a combination of determination, natural talent and invaluable mentorship.
And now Hammon is using her story to encourage others on their own paths to success.
Back in her home state, Experience Sioux Falls hosted its annual Visitors Industry Luncheon on Monday at the Sioux Falls Convention Center, with Hammon as the keynote speaker.
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During the event, Hammon sat down with Experience Sioux Falls CEO Teri Schmidt and KELOLAND anchor Don Jorgenson to discuss how her journey to basketball stardom can apply to anyone.
Here are the top five keys to success from one of South Dakota’s most recognized basketball players.
“I'm not stayin' down"
Harmon began with a hard truth: The only way to it, is through it. She said conquering the difficult parts of the journey helps build “resistance, toughness, grit and perseverance.”
Even though Hammon excelled at basketball from an early age, leading all the way up to being voted South Dakota Player of the Year as a senior in high school, she also had to overcome rejection early in her career from college to the WNBA.
Hammon said her attitude from day one has always been, “I might be down, but I’m not stayin’ down.”
That attitude and determination led her to the New York Liberty, where she became a six-time All-Star and was named one of the Top 15 Players of All Time in the WNBA. She was later traded to the San Antonio Spurs, where she remained for 14 seasons.
Strong faith also kept her going, along with her parents’ guidance about how to be successful and complete honesty with her, Hammon said.
“I was raised by the whole, ‘If you work hard when you put your mind to something’ mindset, which really helped push me,” Hammon said.
How to arise to true greatness
Hammon next spoke about her coaching career, and how it all began with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. After shadowing the team for a year while recovering from an ACL injury, Hammon broke down another barrier by becoming the first woman to serve as a full-time paid assistant coach in the NBA in 2014.
“To get what you want, you need to build relationships with mentors,” Hammon said.
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Building those relationships, she said, requires respect and hearing what others have to say. It is also essential to remember that with different types of people come different styles of communication.
And sometimes, simply listening to people is all that's needed, so you can better understand how you motivate them, Hammon said.
“At the end of the day, true greatness rises on relationships," she said.
How hard work and a competitive nature paid off
Competitive to the core, the Hammon family had a drive in everything they did. That quality is still a major player in Hammon’s winning game of grit, humility and perseverance, she said.
Hammon doesn’t remember a time when she didn’t have a basketball. Beginning as a toddler, she said she was able to learn to dribble by the time she could walk.
As she grew older, she eventually began playing basketball with her brother and his friends. Being much smaller than them and having no leniency forced Hammon to fight for her place on the court.
In high school, college recruiters overlooked Hammon’s talent with the impression that she wasn’t fast enough or even tall enough at 5-foot-6.
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Hammon kept pushing through as the starting point guard at Stevens High School in Rapid City, and she eventually caught the eye of Colorado State.
The importance of setting expectations
When it comes to achieving your goals, Hammon is of the belief that encouragement and setting expectations help her players to believe in themselves.
For each member of her team, Hammon uses 3x5 index cards to list these expectations, customized for every player.
Hammon also stressed the importance of being accountable.
“Take a look at yourself sometimes. Ask, ‘Is it them or do I need to make some adjustments?’” Hammon said.
Being humble is a key factor in building a team. People need to come together to accomplish one common goal, Hammon said.
Schmidt concluded the discussion by describing Hammon's positive mentality.
"When you get knocked down, get right back up again. That's what Sioux Falls is made of," she said.
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: South Dakota's Becky Hammon defines success at Sioux Falls event
