Becky Hammon’s indelible impact is no secret at this point. She’s flung the doorway to opportunity wide open. The former WNBA great has moved on from a stellar career on the court to an already noteworthy career on the sidelines. This summer, she became the first female head coach of a NBA Summer League team when she guided the Spurs to Summer League glory.

In the mere weeks since Hammon made history, two other women have been hired as assistant coaches – Nicki Gross with the Iowa Energy and Nancy Lieberman with the Sacramento Kings. If it wasn’t obvious before, it surely is obvious now that Hammon has helped pave the way for the opportunities granted to Gross, Lieberman and many others in the future.

The New York Liberty honored Hammon on Sunday by inducting her as the sixth player into the franchise’s Ring of Honor. As an undrafted guard from Rapid City, South Dakota, Hammon spent her first eight seasons in the league with the Liberty.

Before Sunday’s game, she spoke with members of the media about her time in New York, her career in the league and the recent history she’s made with the Spurs. Hammon made it clear that the barrier-breaking, historic journey is not lost on her.

“I think somebody had to be brave enough to do the right thing,” Hammon said, “and not care about gender and say, ‘This person has a good basketball mind and she fits in with our team.’ I think that’s the other piece that people have to recognize is that it wasn’t just about my mind. You still have to fit in on the team. Maybe I don’t fit in in Miami or Milwaukee. Who knows? [Gregg Popovich] saw a need on his team and he felt that I could fill that role, and he brought me on board. I think at the end of day, we as a society have to get to the point where leaders – there’s lots of guys that would say, ‘Oh yeah, she has a great basketball mind.’ And they’d leave it at that. [Popovich] said, ‘She has a great basketball mind and I’m going to give this girl an opportunity.’ So when leaders start promoting and giving opportunities to capable people, then we can really start to make progress, not only in the basketball world but in general in the world we live in.”

To understand just how important Hammon’s legacy and impact is, look no further than the current crop of talent in the WNBA. WNBA.com spoke with a number of players over the past week who all have nothing but glowing praise for Hammon.

Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever Forward): “Becky is one of those players that has consistently gotten better on and off the court. Even when she was playing, you watch her and how she was able to talk to her teammates and how she was able to lead, you saw that in her.  You saw the coaching capabilities that she would have if that was the way that she wanted to go when she finished. So her getting to this point in her career and being able to get to the Spurs, and ultimately being the first female head coach of the summer league, it’s a huge honor for her and it’s a huge honor for women, too.”

Candice Wiggins (New York Liberty Guard): “She is blazing a trail that no one has, and she’s always done that. If you look at her story and just the way she started and what she’s been able to accomplish with just the little opportunity that she’s had, she’s made the most of it. I think that’s the big thing, because in this movement that women are having, it’s not just about getting something or giving something. It’s about earning something, and it’s also about making the most out of something small.”

Abby Bishop (Seattle Storm Forward): “Obviously, she’s an inspiring woman. Her story is amazing. I think it’s just opened everybody’s eyes to show that anything is possible. She’s paved the way for women going out of basketball into the real world. I think what she’s done is amazing and she’s really opened the door for a lot of people.”

Kiah Stokes (New York Liberty Center): “It’s just incredible. To be a part of a program that she was a part of, that’s something for me. I was really young when she was playing. But just to see her now and see what she’s done for not only the WNBA, but the NBA, it’s incredible and I’m just glad that New York City is a part of it and then I’m kind of a part of it because I play for New York [Liberty] as well.”

Tanisha Wright (New York Liberty Guard): “I think it’s great for women in sports. I think she’s really setting the bar high, and she’s setting the trend that women are just as good and can do anything that our counterparts can do. And she’s just being a really good role model for young girls that are looking up to her. She has tons of kids and players that look up to her and want to be like her, so right now she’s setting that example that many of us maybe didn’t have when we were younger in terms of opportunities. She’s letting people know that there are opportunities out there for women, you just got to go grab them.”

Jenna O’Hea (Seattle Storm Guard: “She’s paving ways for us. To go as an undrafted WNBA player like myself, she just opens doors of opportunities for all women. She’s just a legend.”