Podcast Summary: Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston — Ep.15

"Becky Hammon talks Aces Dynasty, Coaching A’ja Wilson & Female Head Coaches in the NBA"
Release Date: November 12, 2025
Hosts: Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston
Featured Guest: Becky Hammon

Episode Overview

In this vibrant and wide-ranging episode, WNBA legends Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston welcome Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon for an in-depth conversation on building a basketball dynasty, evolving as a coach and player, mentoring a generational star in A’ja Wilson, and confronting the structural barriers facing female coaches in the NBA. The dialogue blends personal anecdotes, technical basketball talk, stories from Becky’s storied playing and coaching career, and candid reflections on the state and future of women’s basketball and coaching. Interspersed are plenty of laughs, real moments, and insight for players and fans alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Banter & Weekly Check-ins

• [00:31–04:56] Candace and Aliyah exchange updates: Candace boasts about the Chicago Bears’ win streak and brunch rituals, while Aliyah shares Caribbean home life—beach runs and family meals (“My mom did make oxtails after church on Sunday. And that right there, that right there did it...” — Aliyah, 01:40).
• They share friendly, competitive teasing about their “Unrivaled” squads and break down other expansion team rosters, highlighting youth, athleticism, and shifting league power (Breeze, Hive, Rose, Mist).

2. WNBA Lottery & Draft Preview [08:51–13:32]

• Candace and Aliyah walk through the mechanics of the upcoming WNBA draft lottery, analyzing team odds and possible prospects: “Will this be back to back? The Wings have a 42% odds...” — Candace, 10:15.
• Discussion on top draft choices, with Candace predicting Olivia Miles as the top pick for the Lynx:

  "She is one of the most dynamic point guards, can pass her absolute ass off if you’ve not watched her play. Change of speed. Think Chelsea Gray can shoot the rock but prefers setting up her teammates..." — Candace, 11:56

• Deeper talk on what teams like the Sky, Storm, and Mystics might do (“I think they're searching for a point guard...that’s a hard position to find”—Candace, 12:43).

3. Welcoming Becky Hammon & Aces Dynasty Discussion [17:34–25:58]

• Becky joins and Candace introduces her as the “originator... dynamic guard turned unbelievable coach.”
• Becky describes the emotional rollercoaster and relief after winning the 2025 WNBA Championship:

  “It’s crazy...you’re super happy, but honestly, it’s almost like it’s just a relief. I feel like I can breathe again. I can sleep again. Especially that team and Aaliyah, your guys series. I didn’t sleep at all.” — Becky, 19:17

• Reflects on the constantly shifting roster, unique personality of each championship run, and having to “reestablish it every year...the minutes don’t carry over, the points don’t carry over, the work doesn’t carry over” (21:27).

4. Mental Fortitude & Building Team Culture [24:29–27:43]

• Aces’ 2025 title “hardest by far,” especially surviving Indiana in the playoffs (“Indiana actually was probably the hardest series I’ve ever been through.” — Becky, 24:29).
• Becky details fostering player trust and navigating the emotional and mental grind, crediting her focus on presence and “next person up” mentality.
• Both Candace and Becky stress the importance of communication and empowering every player’s voice:

  “I want to be a phone call for you if you need help...let me help you. And I just think sitting down and listening, I can learn a lot about you, where you come from, your past.” — Becky, 27:43

5. Tactical Philosophy & Spurs Influence [29:13–31:06]

• Sheds light on Aces’ terminology and daily “vitamins”—individual skill work and extra shots, a practice borrowed from her Spurs days.
• Describes making the gym a fun, hunger-inducing place, even locking players out “so I can make that hunger...for when you guys get back in.”
• Candace learns about new lingo: “I don’t know what they’re talking about...I really think I’m a smart, high IQ player...” — Candace, 29:13

6. Coaching Aces Stars & Changing Team Schemes [31:14–35:00]

• Becky reflects on her initial assessment of the Aces’ core and her pitch to Mark Davis—clear out congestion, maximize talent, and challenge players to shoot beyond their comfort zone.
• “As long as we’re keeping score, it’s fun. To me, like, we can have the most fun. Working hard, being competitive, that’s... the funnest element of the whole thing." — Becky, 31:55
• Stresses how authenticity, honesty, and real relationships drive team success.

7. Women in Coaching — Breaking Barriers [35:00–45:37]

• Candace asks about trends in hiring WNBA coaches with NBA pedigree, crediting Becky as a catalyst.
• Becky highlights the undervalued WNBA playing experience:

  “Nobody’s asking these questions if I had a 16-year NBA career...when you start adding all these years up, I’m going on 26, 27 years in either a WNBA or NBA arena...” — Becky, 36:09

• Explains barriers facing women, from “locker room questions” to broader issues around leadership perceptions:

  “Leadership knows no gender. Just like character and bravery and courage and resiliency... Can women lead? Men? Women are doing so much more important things than leading basketball teams... NBA, when they want it, they'll get it, because there's people that are ready right now.” — Becky, 39:26

• Candid about the need for “extra” qualifications and persistent bias (“They're looking for check marks to check you off, not to push you in the door.” — Becky, 43:20).

8. Becky’s Unique Path — Player to Coach, Russia & Resilience [45:37–57:08]

• Reflects on difficult, lonely moments of playing for Russia after being overlooked by USA Basketball:

  “That door was not for me from birth...That walking through that door really changed me because I got really comfortable with people being uncomfortable with me.” — Becky, 46:53

• Shares a formative NBA coaching story: her idea shot down, only to be used later by another assistant (“life of a woman…” — Candace, 51:12).
• Talks about growing into her voice and confidence, earning increased trust from Gregg Popovich and NBA peers.

9. Legacy, Motivation & What’s Next [57:08–58:48]

• Becky reveals that she never planned on coaching—she realized she preferred the grind over commentating:

  "I can never leave the gym a winner. Like, I don’t want to be the one talking about it. Put me in the Foxhole with people, put me in the work, in the grind. That’s really where I want to be." — Becky, 57:32

• Emphasizes that the impact on people is her true legacy: “help change this viewpoint, or she helped me get... to this point in my life or my career.”

10. Honoring Becky’s Playing Career [58:48–65:06]

• Candace brings the conversation back to Becky’s legacy as a player, including her 2008 playoff heroics (“this little five foot five guard comes in and hits five”—Candace, 61:25).
• Becky attributes her team’s success to chemistry and culture over raw talent:

  “You can beat a more talented team...When you genuinely like each other. That was a group that just genuinely liked each other and dug in deep and did all the little things for each other.” — Becky, 61:56

11. Coaching A’ja Wilson & Superstar Development [65:55–69:17]

• Becky gushes about her relationship with A’ja Wilson:

  “She’s a real, real one. We have hard conversations, you know... she’s been so coachable. You’re the best player in the world and the easiest player to coach.” — Becky, 65:55

• Credits Wilson’s upbringing and thirst for growth every year. Emphasizes challenging her defensively and the value of hard conversations.

12. Rapid Fan Q&A: Style, Favorites, & Player Matchups [70:16–76:44]

• On her signature “hoodie-blazer” sideline look:

  “I have so many hoodies...So I was like, let’s try to incorporate the hoodie...and then we won, so then we’re like, we can’t just keep it up because we won it.” — Becky, 70:51

• Admits affection for all players, but dodges naming Jackie Young as a “favorite.”

  “If Jackie says she’s the favorite, she’s the favorite. Nobody puts baby in a corner. That’s it.” — Becky, 73:42

• Names toughest career matchups: Alana Beard, Katie Douglas, Cheryl Swoopes, Cynthia Cooper, and throwback Andrea Stinson.

Memorable Quotes

• On player empowerment:

  “I want to be a phone call for you if you need help...Let me help you.” — Becky Hammon, 27:43

• On being a pioneer:

  “Leadership knows no gender...The problem was never with the players. It’s with the decision makers and the other people. The players, they don’t care if Kermit the Frog came in and told them—if that’s going to help them win, they will listen.” — Becky, 39:26

• On facing bias:

  “They’re looking for check marks to check you off, not to push you in the door.” — Becky, 43:20

• On legacy:

  “At the end of the day, man, people are the only thing that go on.” — Becky, 58:48

• On A’ja Wilson:

  “…The best player in the world and you’re the easiest player to coach.” — Becky, 65:58

• On style:

  “I have so many hoodies...I was like, let’s try to incorporate the hoodie...and then we won...” — Becky, 70:51

Notable Timestamps

• WNBA Draft/Lottery Breakdown: 08:51–13:32
• Welcoming Becky Hammon: 17:34
• 2025 Championship Recap: 19:17–25:18
• Player-Coach Relationship: 27:43
• Coaching Philosophy/Spurs Influence: 29:13
• Women in Coaching Discussion: 35:00–45:37
• Becky’s Playing for Russia & Early NBA Years: 45:37–53:36
• Coaching Career Reflections & Player Legacy: 57:08–65:06
• Coaching A’ja Wilson: 65:55–69:17
• Fan Q&A, Style, & Guarding Matchups: 70:16–76:44

Tone & Energy

The episode balances thoughtful, heartfelt storytelling with playful banter and humor. Candace and Aliyah bring a natural, easy rapport, and Becky Hammon’s candor, wit, and unfiltered honesty shine through. The language is energetic, real, and filled with the inside jokes and lingo characteristic of pros talking the game they love.

For Listeners New & Old

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in women’s basketball, leadership, and progress in sports. It provides insider perspectives on building a championship culture, coaching elite athletes, challenging outdated norms, and pursuing excellence—even when the odds (and biases) are stacked high. Through Becky’s journey, listeners get a look into both the grind and glory of the women’s game and what’s fueling its next leap forward.