Gregg Popovich didn’t want to coach this year’s Western Conference team in the NBA All-Star Game, but his wasn’t the only voice in the room.

When the San Antonio coach made it clear he was leaning against the NBA’s invitation to coach, the Spurs assistants talked him around. One of those is Becky Hammon, and on Sunday she’ll be at Popovich’s side and will become the first woman to be an assistant coach in an NBA All-Star Game.

“A couple of other staff members (and I) wanted to do it of course,” Hammon told USAtoday.com. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us, and eventually he gave in and did the league wishes (and agreed) to coach.

“I think he was trying to make other plans so there was a little mini-coup in the staff of assistants that wanted to go to Toronto and then of course he wanted to go and do whatever he does.”

Hammon, a one-time WNBA All-Star was hired as the NBA’s first assistant coach in 2014-15, coached the Spurs’ Summer League team in the off-season, winning a championship. Sunday will be another new first for her and for women.

“I can’t tell you just how many women come up to me and they’re so proud — and men too. Dada that have daughters and sisters and mothers, they’re just so genuinely excited that doors and opportunities are now being opened,” she said. “For me, I think it’s such a notable point to make that a leader had to believe, a leader had to see that potential. A person had to come along that didn’t care about gender. They care about how you do your job.”