San Antonio Spurs add seven-time WNBA All-Star Candice Dupree to staff as assistant coach

The San Antonio Spurs announced the hiring of former WNBA star Candice Dupree as a player development coach on Friday.

Dupree was part of the Spurs’ coaching staff for the 2022 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas and takes another step in her post-playing career. 

She is a modern-day great of women’s basketball after amassing seven All-Star appearances in a stellar 16-year WNBA career.

Candice Dupree played for Chicago, Phoenix, Indiana, Seattle and Atlanta in her 16-year career

The 38-year-old also won a WNBA title with the Phoenix Mercury during the 2014 season. 

Dupree first played for the Chicago Sky after being taken sixth overall in the 2006 WNBA Draft. 

The former Temple star had spells in Poland, Slovakia, Russia, China, Czech Republic and Hungary, alongside playing for the Indiana Fever, Seattle Storm and most recently, Atlanta Dream. 

She ranks fifth on the WNBA’s career chart in points (6,895) and games (494) and is seventh in rebounds (3,144).

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich will take Dupree under his wing full-time this 2022 season

Dupree may look to former Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon for inspiration as she begins her full-time coaching journey. 

Last week, Hammon guided the Las Vegas Aces to the 2022 WNBA championship in her first season as head coach.

San Antonio will be looking to improve on last season’s 34-48 record in which they finished as the Western Conference’s 10th seed before losing the play-in to New Orleans. 

The Spurs open their regular season on October 19 at home against Charlotte.