Trendsetter Stephanie Ready was First Woman to Coach Men Professionally
Stephanie Ready on Coaching in NBA D-League
Becky Hammons is viewed as a trendsetter, but Stephanie Ready was an assistant coach with the NBA D-League Greenville Groove in 2001, where her team won the championship. Before that Ready served as an assistant with the Coppin State Men’s Basketball team, where she was the first female NCAA Division I recruiter. Ready is currently a sideline reporter for the Charlotte Hornets, so the expectations of a female head coach may be a bit premature.
Right now women in men’s sports is in vogue. Arizona Cardinals hired Jen Welter as an intern, and the Sacramento Kings hired legend Nancy Lieberman. Lieberman is fully aware that she may not have been hired if Becky Hammond didn’t win the summer league title. It is good that we are progressing, but there is still ways to go before there is a woman head coach.
