Former WNBA star Lindsey Harding became the first black woman to become a full-time NBA scout when the Philadelphia 76ers hired her before the 2018-19 season. Now, she has been named the first female coach, specifically their player development coach, in the franchise history of the Philadelphia 76ers.
“I am very excited about Lindsey’s promotion to Player Development Coach,” 76ers Head Coach Brett Brown said in a statement. “Her many years of basketball experiences and success, will certainly be a welcomed addition to our very diverse and growing coaching staff. The development of our players from a skill acquisition and holistic standpoint, have always been at the forefront of our objectives. Her personality, work ethic and spirit will only add to her ability to coach and help us develop our players. I think she’s going to be a star.”
Other women on NBA coaching staffs include Natalie Nakase of the Los Angeles Clippers, Karen Stack Umlauf of the Chicago Bulls, Kristi Toliver with the Washington Wizards, and Jenny Boucek of the Sacramento Kings.
Harding averaged 9.8 points and 4.0 assists in nine seasons with Minnesota, Washington, Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York and Phoenix. She also played professionally in Lithuania, Turkey, Russia and Cyprus.
