From WNBA Star to Pioneering Head Coach
Stockton Kings have a new head coach, and for the first time, It’s a woman.
Once again, Lindsey Harding makes history. After spending 4 seasons as an assistant coach and assistant development coach for the Sacramento Kings,WNBA star will be the head coach for the team’s G league affiliate, Stockton Kings. Harding also coached in Philadelphia Sixers and currently leading the Mexican Senior National Team. She played nine years in WNBA with 6 teams after drafted in 2007.
Harding’s appointment as head coach is yet another milestone in her career, following her selection as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 WNBA Draft and her journey to the WNBA Finals with the Atlanta Dream in 2012. After retiring in 2017, she began her coaching career with the Toronto Raptors’ summer league team, progressing through various roles, including being the first Black woman to become a full-time NBA scout and later the Sixers’ first female assistant coach.
Her vision has always been to lead a team, and while acknowledging the unique challenges that lie ahead given no woman has yet served as an NBA head coach, Harding is ready to face them head-on.
After her move to the Kings in 2019, where she served under three different head coaches and contributed to a critical victory leading to the team’s first playoff appearance in 16 seasons, she is set to drive the Stockton team to fresh achievements from November.
Currently, Harding is steering the Mexico women’s national team and will focus her energy entirely on the Stockton team once their season concludes in early July. Her belief in authenticity and staying true to oneself is expected to resonate in her leadership style as she takes up her new role.
Anjali Ranadivé: Stepping Up as the New General Manager of Stockton Kings
Additionally, the Stockton Kings have named Anjali Ranadivé, who acted as the assistant general manager for the team in the 2022-23 season, as the new general manager. The appointment of Ranadivé, daughter of the majority owner of the Sacramento Kings, Vivek Ranadivé, marks Stockton as the first G League affiliate to have women in both leadership positions.
Ranadivé’s appointment is the third in the G League’s history, following the strides made by Tori Miller, the first woman general manager for the College Park Skyhawks, and Amber Nichols, the second woman to achieve the same role for the Capital City Go-Go.
Gender Equality Diversity
With the new appointments, the Stockton Kings have not only brought diversity and gender equality into the spotlight but have also set a precedent for the future of the sports industry. They have demonstrated their commitment to shattering traditional norms and are likely to influence a broader change, encouraging more representation and opportunities for women in the sport.
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