Stockton Kings’ Lindsey Harding becomes first woman to win G League Coach of the Year
Stockton Kings coach Lindsey Harding became the first woman to win the G League Coach of the Year award Tuesday after leading her team to the best record in the league.
Harding will receive the Dennis Johnson Trophy, named for the late Dennis Johnson, a Hall of Famer who was a star guard in the NBA and a G League head coach.
Harding was chosen in a vote among NBA G League head coaches and general managers. Indiana Mad Ants coach Tom Hankins and Sioux Falls Skyforce coach Kasib Powell finished second and third, respectively, in voting for the award.
Harding is in her first season as head coach of the Stockton Kings, the G League affiliate of the NBA’s Sacramento Kings. She was named head coach in June when Bobby Jackson left the organization to become an assistant coach with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Harding led Stockton to a 24-10 record in the Western Conference during the regular season. The Kings secured the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye in the playoffs, which were set to begin Tuesday. The Kings will play Salt Lake City or Santa Cruz in the conference semifinals Thursday.
Harding spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach/player development coach in Sacramento. She previously worked as a player development coach and pro personnel scout with the 76ers. Harding also has international coaching experience. She was named head coach of the South Sudan women’s national team in 2021 and currently leads the Mexican women’s national team.
Harding was the Naismith College Player of the Year at Duke in 2007. She was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 WNBA draft and spent nine years in the league. She also played internationally in Turkey, Lithuania, Russia and the 2016 Summer Olympics for Belarus.
This story was originally published April 2, 2024 at 2:54 PM.
