The Los Angeles Lakers hired Lindsey Harding as the team’s first female assistant coach in history. This hiring decision comes just weeks after the Lakers brought on green head coach, JJ Redick.
While the head coach at the Lakers may not have the robust experience that fans come to associate with NBA coaches, Harding has a star-studded resume that cannot be ignored. Not only is she now one of only four women coaching in the NBA, but she had her own impressive career on the court.
Harding played at Duke from 2002-06. In her time as a Blue Devil, Harding was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Naismith and ESPN.com National Player of the Year and Nancy Lieberman Award winner as top point guard in the nation. She racked up 579 assists, 1,298 points and played over 4,000 minutes of game time. After college, Harding was the first pick overall in the WNBA draft by the Phoenix Mercury, but was later traded to the Minnesota Lynx. She also played for the Washington Mystics, Atlanta Dream, Los Angeles Sparks, New York Liberty and she ended her career back where she started in Phoenix.
Professionally, Harding worked for the Philadelphia 76ers as a scout, then as a player development coach. She most recently coached for the Stockton Kings and lead the G League team to an appearance in the semifinals, earning her G League Coach of the Year.
Harding’s new appointment comes at a time when the female coach pipeline for the NBA – or men’s college ball for that matter – seems to be going dry. Just back in the 2020-21 season, there were eight women on NBA coaching staffs, double the current roster. And it was only ten years ago that the first ever woman was hired to an NBA team’s coaching staff. Harding herself was the first black female head coach in the G League. In an interview last year she told reporters that while being the first Black female head coach is great, being seen as an equal is what motivates her to excel.
“I have girls in college and high school saying, ‘I want to coach in the NBA.’ When I was that age, I didn’t even know that this was an opportunity. It’s great to know that I can follow my dreams to get this opportunity and open doors for the future,” said Harding in that same interview.
Head coach Redick has known Harding since the days when they both played at Duke. And, the pair reconnected when Redick was playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. This season, fans and players alike will see what happens when this duo comes together again, making history in the process.
