Becky Hammon has quietly etched her name alongside some of the greatest coaches in basketball history, and statistically, she’s surpassed them. According to stats, Hammon owns the best playoff series win percentage among all head coaches in NBA and WNBA history (minimum 10 playoff series). Her astonishing .900 win rate tops legends like Phil Jackson, Steve Kerr, John Kundla, and Bill Russell.
1. Becky Hammon – .900
2. Phil Jackson – .862
3. Steve Kerr – .857
4. John Kundla – .800
5. Bill Russell – .757
It’s a testament to how dominant Hammon’s Las Vegas Aces have been since she took over in 2022. In just four seasons as head coach, Hammon has already won two championships (2022 and 2023), lost just one playoff series, and has now guided the Aces to their third Finals appearance, where they’ll face the Phoenix Mercury for the 2025 WNBA title.
That lone postseason blemish came in 2024, when the Aces were eliminated by the New York Liberty in the semifinals. Aside from that, Hammon’s playoff record has been nearly flawless, blending her sharp basketball IQ, calm leadership, and creative play-calling to keep Las Vegas at the top of the league.
Hammon’s .900 playoff series win rate isn’t just a statistical anomaly, it’s a reflection of her ability to manage egos, adjust on the fly, and maintain a dynasty in a league built for parity. The WNBA’s playoff format, where top teams often face elite competition in short series, leaves little margin for error. Yet, time and again, Hammon’s Aces have handled the pressure like seasoned champions.
Her coaching philosophy borrows from the very best. A longtime protege of Gregg Popovich during her tenure with the San Antonio Spurs, Hammon blends Popovich’s emphasis on fundamentals and accountability with her own modern approach to spacing, pace, and player empowerment. Under her watch, the Aces have become an offensive juggernaut built around stars like A’ja Wilson, and Jackie Young but what separates Hammon from her peers is her adaptability.
That flexibility has helped the Aces dominate opponents in the postseason. Hammon’s teams are 9-1 in playoff series heading into the 2025 Finals, and her ability to keep her players locked in through long title runs has drawn comparisons to Jackson’s famed triangle-era Bulls and Lakers dynasties and Kerr’s championship Warriors.
But Hammon’s impact goes beyond the numbers. She’s also broken barriers at every level of basketball. Once an undrafted WNBA player who built a Hall of Fame-caliber career through grit and intelligence, Hammon later became the first full-time female assistant coach in NBA history with the Spurs, and the first woman to act as head coach in an NBA game. Now, she’s rewritten history again, proving that her name belongs among the greatest minds the sport has ever seen.
If the Aces defeat the Mercury and capture another title, Hammon’s record would improve to 10-1 in playoff series (.909), further cementing her place atop the list of all-time postseason winners.
For comparison, Phil Jackson, owner of 11 NBA titles, posted a .862 playoff series win rate across 20 seasons, while Steve Kerr sits at .857 through nine seasons with the Warriors. Those are historically elite marks, yet Hammon has outpaced them all in less than half the time.
What makes her success even more impressive is the balance she maintains between confidence and humility. Hammon rarely makes the moment about herself, instead crediting her staff and players for executing her vision. Still, her dominance can’t be ignored, she’s not just the face of the Aces, but the new standard for coaching excellence in professional basketball.`
Becky Hammon isn’t chasing anyone’s legacy anymore. With another championship run underway, she’s building her own.
