When I sat down with Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman for Scoop B Radio in 2017, she was serving as an assistant coach for the Sacramento Kings. She was one of only two women in the NBA coaching ranks at the time (alongside Becky Hammon), but she didn’t view her position as a novelty. She viewed it as a mission.
Looking back at that conversation in December 2025, Lieberman’s words feel prophetic. We are currently living in a “Golden Era” of basketball where the walls between the men’s and women’s games have largely dissolved—a reality that Nancy helped architect through decades of grit, high-level communication, and an refusal to accept the status quo.
The “Trendsetter” Mentality
In 2017, Lieberman spoke to me about being a “trendsetter,” but she was quick to point out that trailblazing isn’t about being first—it’s about making sure you aren’t the last. “We didn’t have a roadmap,” she told me regarding her early coaching days. “My job was to create one.”
She brought a “different dimension” to the Kings’ staff, as then-VP Vlade Divac noted. She wasn’t just there to coach X’s and O’s; she was there to manage personalities like DeMarcus Cousins and Rajon Rondo. She proved that leadership isn’t gendered—it’s about respect and the ability to connect with people “on their hearts.”
2025 Vision: The Anatomy of an Ambassador
In 2025, the “Lieberman Blueprint” has become the standard for the player-to-coach pipeline. Her impact functions like a championship-level roster that has redefined the industry:
- The MVPs (The Communicators): Nancy’s ability to “speak the language” of the locker room. In our talk, she highlighted that being an effective communicator is the necessary ingredient for success, a trait now prioritized by every front office in the league.
- The Snipers (Targeted Mentorship): Her focus on the “everyday champion.” Through her Nancy Lieberman Charities and its 133 “Dream Courts,” she has targeted the next generation of talent, providing a targeted path for kids who, like her, “needed basketball more than basketball needed them.”
- The Defensive Anchors (The Shield of Experience): Her “Fear Nothing” attitude. Taking lessons from her mentor Muhammad Ali—who told her “God made you special”—she has served as a shield against the critics, proving that a woman’s voice carries just as much weight in a huddle as any man’s.
From Rucker Park to the “Big 3”
What makes Nancy’s 2017 insights so vital in 2025 is her history of defying the odds. From sneaking off to Harlem’s Rucker Park as a teenager to winning championships in the BIG3, she has always played the game “on the hill.”
She told me in 2017 that she wasn’t afraid to break the rules so this current generation could have what they have. Today, as we see stars like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers (the 2025 Nancy Lieberman Award winner) command global attention, we are seeing the direct harvest of the seeds Nancy planted. She didn’t just walk through the door; she held it open until it was ripped off the hinges.
The Final Scoop: A Legacy of Privilege, Not Pressure
Revisiting this interview is a reminder that Nancy Lieberman never viewed her career through the lens of “pressure.” To her, it was always a “privilege.” She told me, “I am who I say I am… you don’t get to tell me who I am.”
As we navigate a 2025 landscape where female coaches and executives are a standard part of the NBA and WNBA fabric, we owe a “thank you” to the woman they call “Lady Magic.” She provided the roadmap when there was only a forest, and because of her, the path for the next generation is wider and brighter than ever before.
