Sacramento Kings Expected To Name Nancy Lieberman As Assistant Coach
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Sacramento Kings are expected to announce Nancy Lieberman as a new assistant coach, making her the second woman to fill that role in NBA history.
Lieberman helped coach the team during its recent Summer League season and is now said to be in talks with the Kings coaching staff, with an announcement possibly coming next week.
The Hall of Famer is in the sights of Kings Vice President Vlade Divac, according to the Sacramento Bee.
"There's a familiarity there; she obviously impressed Vlade Divac and George Karl and others or they wouldn't be taking this next step," Grant Napear said.
The KHTK talk show host and Kings play-by-play announcer thinks it's a good move.
"Its a win-win for everybody," he said.
Lieberman was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996, 20 years after she helped lead the U.S. to a silver medal in the first Olympic women's basketball competition.
She currently works as an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks' Developmental League team
The new comes days after the Arizona Cardinals hired Jen Welter the NFL's first female assistant coach and weeks after San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich handed the reins of his team to assistant coach Becky Hammon.
"Gregg Popovich and the Spurs broke the barrier last year by hiring Becky Hammon, and she's been great," Napear said. "She coached the summer league to a championship."