Former WNBA star Candice Dupree joined the NBA coaching ranks Friday.

The San Antonio Spurs brought on the seven-time All-Star as an assistant on Gregg Popovich’s staff, a position that provided a pipeline to success for Becky Hammon. Hammon worked as an assistant for the Spurs for eight seasons, then left earlier this year to lead the Las Vegas Aces to a WNBA title in her first season as a head coach.

When Hammon joined the Spurs in 2014, she became the first WNBA player to coach in the NBA. The number of WNBA players to follow her path remains slim but has grown over the last few years.

In total, 16 women have coached in the NBA. Dupree becomes the 10th current or former WNBA player to coach in the NBA, and she joins four other current or former WNBA players as active coaches in the men’s league.

WNBA players to coach in the NBA

Becky Hammon
San Antonio Spurs, 2014-22

After retiring in 2014 from the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars, Hammon joined the Spurs and became the first woman to work as a full-time assistant coach in any of North America’s four major men’s professional leagues.

She also became the first woman to serve as an acting head coach in NBA history when Popovich was ejected from a game in December 2020.

She left the Spurs to join the Aces, and she led the team to a 26-10 record and a WNBA championship in her debut season.

Nancy Lieberman
Sacramento Kings, 2015-17

Lieberman coached the WNBA’s Detroit Shock from 1998-2000. Later, she coached the Texas Legends of the NBA Developmental League from 2009-11, becoming the first woman to coach a men’s professional basketball team.

In 2015, she was hired by the Kings as an assistant coach, and she spent two seasons with Sacramento.

Jenny Boucek
Sacramento Kings, 2017-18
Dallas Mavericks, 2018-21
Indiana Pacers, 2021-present

Boucek spent 18 seasons as an assistant and head coach in the WNBA before making the switch to the NBA.

She joined the Kings as a player development coach in 2017, then became an assistant coach for the Dallas Mavericks in 2018. In 2021, she jumped to the Indiana Pacers with head coach Rick Carlisle, who had hired her to his Mavericks staff.

Kristi Toliver
Washington Wizards, 2018-20
Dallas Mavericks, 2021-present

An active player in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks, Toliver also works as an assistant coach in the NBA. She started with the Wizards in 2018, during her time as a player for the Mystics, then switched to the Mavericks in 2021.

Niele Ivey
Memphis Grizzlies, 2019-20

Before she became the head coach of the Notre Dame women’s basketball team, she spent the 2019-20 NBA season as an assistant with the Grizzlies.

Kara Lawson
Boston Celtics, 2019-20

Like Ivey, Lawson coached for one season with the Celtics before joining the college ranks as the coach of the Duke women’s team.

Lindsey Harding
Philadelphia 76ers, 2019
Sacramento Kings, 2019-present

Harding started her coaching career as a player development coach for the 76ers, then flipped to fill the same role for the Sacramento Kings.

Teresa Weatherspoon
New Orleans Pelicans, 2020-present

The five-time WNBA All-Star served as the head coach of her alma mater Louisiana Tech’s women’s basketball program for six seasons. She was named a part-time player development coach in 2019, then became a full-time assistant coach in 2020.

Edniesha Curry
Portland Trail Blazers (2021-22)

Curry worked as an assistant coach for the women’s and then the men’s basketball teams at University of Maine before joining the Trail Blazers in 2021.

Candice Dupree
San Antonio Spurs (2022-present)

A 2014 WNBA champion with the Phoenix Mercury, participated in the NBA Assistant Coaches Program (ACP), created to expand the player-to-coach pipeline, and joined the Spurs in September.

Denver Summit FC has a coach, tapping former Manchester City manager Nick Cushing to serve as the NWSL expansion club’s inaugural leader this week.

The hiring subsequently rounds out the team's front office build, with Denver coach Cushing joining president Jen Millet and GM Curt Johnson ahead of the team’s 2026 kick-off.

Denver is also stocking its player roster. The team signed Orland Pride star Ally Watt earlier this week, with Watt also expected to join the Summit in 2026.

"Denver Summit FC’s commitment to building a world-class soccer organization really inspired me," said Cushing in a team statement. "We have a passionate, committed fanbase and we have to put a team on the field that replicates that."

"Our team will play an attacking form of the game that excites our stadium and makes things difficult for our opponents," he continued. "We want to create a winning team as well as a great experience for all of Colorado."

Cushing most recently acted as Man City’s interim manager after the WSL side fired coach Gareth Taylor in March, returning to helm the team he coached to six major trophies from 2013-2020.

"In order to be successful right away, you need people that have experienced environments like this, have built organizations, and have had success," said Curt Johnson, Denver Summit FC general manager.

"Nick brings world-class experience, a passion for player development, and a tactical vision that will excite Summit supporters. He’s won major trophies and is the right leader to guide us into our first season and beyond."

The 2025 Tour de France Femmes came in hot, as Pauline Ferrand-Prévôt crossed the finish line to become the race’s first French winner in 36 years — all in front of a record audience.

Cyclist Jeannie Longo was the most recent Frenchwoman to win the race back in 1989, though then it called the Tour de France Feminin. No French athletes has won the men's Tour de France since 1985 champion Bernard Hinault.

This year's Tour de France Femmes drew a total of 25.7 million French viewers across linear and digital platforms, up 33.6% from 2024 to make this year’s edition the most-watched in event history.

An average of 4.4 million French viewers tuned in on Sunday to see Ferrand-Prévôt clinch the yellow jersey in the final stage of the race.

After picking up a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, Ferrand-Prévot also became the first woman to win the Tour and the Paris-Roubaix cycling race in the same calendar year.

"I came back on the road after my Olympic title and I said I will try to win the Tour de France in the next three years," said Ferrand-Prevot after Sunday's finish.

"My teammates worked super hard for me all week long. I just want to say thank you and congrats to them, to my entire team."

The Tour de France Femmes was resurrected in 2022 after a 33-year suspension, with interest in the women’s cycling event soaring ever since.

The clock is ticking down toward the WNBA trade deadline, as teams around the league evaluate their rosters and make midseason moves ahead of Thursday's 3 PM ET final whistle.

The No. 10 Washington Mystics made the most recent transactional splash, sending leading scorer Brittney Sykes to the No. 6 Seattle Storm on Tuesday.

In return, Washington received forward Alysha Clark, guard Zia Cooke, and a 2026 first-round draft pick — though the Mystics immediately waived Cooke as well as center Sika Koné.

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Teams now have a little more than 24 hours to decide if they’re stocking up for the postseason or punting this year's potential to shore up future prospects.

Though the WNBA trade deadline has historically been less dramatic than other leagues thanks to hard salary caps and roster limitations, ramped-up expansion and the promise of a new CBA appear to be greasing the wheels this year.

While not every title contender has roster room to spare, teams in line for the lottery will likely look to clean house this week.

To that end, Washington may still be dealing: 2024 No. 6 overall draft pick Aaliyah Edwards played just seven minutes for the Mystics in their 78-64 loss to the No. 11 Chicago Sky on Tuesday, sparking rumors of another potential big trade.

As for the last-place Connecticut Sun, guard Marina Mabrey could serve as a last-minute asset after the team initially denied Mabrey's offseason trade request.

Wednesday night's WNBA action pits the No. 7 Las Vegas Aces against the No. 8 Golden State Valkyries — two teams locked in an unexpected dead heat as midseason momentum continues to narrow the WNBA standings.

Separated by just half a game, the Aces will take on the host Valkyries in a rematch of Sunday's 101-71 blowout win for Las Vegas.

Despite 2024 WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson's top-tier league stats, the 2023 champs have struggled to find consistency this season — exemplified by Saturday's 53-point loss to the No. 1 Minnesota Lynx.

"One thing I did do is send a message to them, and just say if you weren't embarrassed from [the Lynx loss], then don't come into this gym," Wilson said in response. "It's not always going to be just the stars — it's going to take all of us."

On the other side, new WNBA addition Golden State still has a serious shot at becoming the first expansion team to make the playoffs in their debut year, and they'll look to come back swinging after Sunday's lopsided loss.

Downing the Aces isn't a foreign concept for the 2025 debutants, who blasted Las Vegas 95-68 in June.

Golden State's not-so-secret weapon could make a difference in this rematch, as the Valkyries home crowd will try to make "Ballhalla" as rowdy as possible for the visiting Aces.

How to watch Las Vegas vs. Golden State on Wednesday

The No. 7 Aces will tip off against the No. 8 Valkyries at 10 PM ET on Wednesday, with live coverage airing on NBA TV.