Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadive called Lindsay Harding to give her the historic news Tuesday: The G League Stockton Kings coach was to be named the 2024 G League Coach of the Year later that day. Harding also became the first woman to receive the Dennis Johnson Trophy since the league debuted in 2001.
While the news wasn’t totally unexpected after an outstanding regular season, the reality of it touched Harding.
“Sometimes you just don’t know until it happens, and there are a lot of good coaches in this league,” Harding told Andscape in a phone interview on Tuesday night. “Finishing first overall doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going to win that award. But to actually hear it? For one, I’m so proud of my staff. I really feel like I have the best staff in the G League. And it’s not just with how much work that they put forth [but] with everything we went through, just fully supporting each other, they had me fully prepared for every game …
“I got a little bit emotional. It’s my first time doing it here. And the first time as a Black woman to do this and to win an award like that, it just means a lot.”
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Harding was named coach of the year after leading the Kings to a league-best 24-10 record in her first season. The vote for the Dennis Johnson Trophy, named after the late Hall of Famer and G League coach, was conducted by the league’s coaches and general managers. The Kings earned a first-round bye in the G League playoffs and will host the Santa Cruz Warriors in playoff action Thursday night.
Sacramento Kings head coach Mike Brown congratulated Harding, who was on his staff last season, before his home win against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday.
“It’s just a whale of a job that she and her staff have done throughout the [season],” Brown said. “Obviously, we’ve talked about the No. 1 seeding throughout the playoffs led by her and her staff. And for her to get coach of the year is well-deserving. Great things continue to happen for the Kings organization.”
Harding’s first season as a coach certainly had its challenges.
The former Duke and WNBA star was hired as the Stockton Kings coach on June 20, 2023, and Anjali Ranadivé was promoted to general manager. It was the first time in G League history that two women were picked to lead an NBA affiliate. Harding and the Kings got off to a rough start with a 5-11 record in the Showcase Cup from Nov. 10 to Dec. 22, 2023.
The Kings also cut center Chance Comanche on Dec. 15, 2023, a day after he was taken into custody during a basketball practice in Sacramento. Comanche was arrested and charged with murder in the strangulation of a woman in Las Vegas with the help of his former girlfriend. Harding also told Andscape that two of her family members died in February, which led to a short leave of absence from the Kings.
The Kings rebounded once the regular season began, opening with an 8-1 record. Stockton was efficient on both ends of the court, ranking third in the G League in both offensive and defensive ratings.
“The biggest thing is just believing and not giving up and continuing to fight,” Harding said. “From where we started and even with how we were losing, we lost quite a bit early, but it was by one possession or two possession or three. And usually in those situations you can think of opportunities where you gave up. So, a big part of this moving forward is just to not give up on any possession and to work harder than your opponent, because I’ve learned in this business when you work harder than your opponent, no matter how talented they are, you give yourself a chance to win.
“That’s something that we’ve tried to harp on and preach. We want to be the most physical team out there, the toughest team out there, and the hardest-working team. If we do all of that, it’ll put us in the best position to win, and those are things that we can control, and those are the things that are the hardest to do.”
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The Kings players surprised Harding with a signed congratulatory card and celebrating with falling streamers on Tuesday. The Kings had several players with NBA experience on their roster.
So, what was the key for Harding gaining their trust as a first-year coach?
“You need to take the time to actually be vulnerable yourself and open up with service levels where a lot of people usually live and usually stay, and I want to do my best to try to dig a little deeper and do that,” Harding said. “You have to give a little to and be vulnerable, and so you just share certain moments and things that are important to you [with people], and they slowly begin to kind of trust you as that goes.
“On top of it, too, you got to know what you’re talking about. I’ve had a couple players say, ‘I know you believe in me. I feel that you really believe in me.’ And I love to hear that from them.”
Harding takes pride in being first Black female coach in G League history. She hopes that her success and the award can open doors and motivate women who aspire to be basketball coaches.
“Everyone wants opportunities. There is confidence in seeing that anything we try and are given the opportunity at, we can succeed at as well,” Harding said. “I am thankful for the support that I had to be able to succeed and get this award in this way to really show we could do this.”
