Charles Barkley believes Becky Hammon will eventually be given an opportunity to be a head coach in the NBA, but the Hall of Famer does not think she should simply take the first job offer that comes along — especially if that offer comes from the New York Knicks.
Hammon is among the candidates who have been linked to the Knicks after they fired David Fizdale last week, and one report says she would be interested if the team gave her a long-term deal. Barkley was asked about that during a brief chat with TMZ this week, and he said Hammon should wait for another offer even if the Knicks want her.
“Somebody’s gonna give her a chance. I don’t think she should take that job,” Barkley said. “Don’t take a bad job.”
If and when Hammon lands a head coaching gig, she will be the first female head coach in NBA history. That title will come with a lot of pressure, and she will obviously want to prove she can succeed. Having a female coach rescue the Knicks would be one of the greatest stories in sports history, but New York has been one of the worst teams in the NBA for years and has gone in a terrible direction under owner James Dolan.
Hammon, who has served on Gregg Popovich’s staff with the San Antonio Spurs since 2014, has already interviewed for another NBA head coaching job and turned down a men’s college coaching gig. The opportunities continue to pile up for her, so Barkley may have a point about saying no to New York.
