On the sidelines of the NBA Finals, the figure of the female that cannot be ignored

Text | Song Tiantian

NBA Finals are in full swing. The Pacers defeated the Thunder 108:91 in Game 6, dragging the game to tiebreak!

Today, no matter what the final result is, it is undeniable that the Pacers have given their wonderful highlights to the fans.

Source: Pacers social media

Reviewing the Pacers' journey, the number one star in the first game of the finals, Tyrese Haliburton made a 3-pointer in the finals 0.3 seconds before the finals, which was heart-stirring.

At the critical juncture of the game, the person who dominated the team's defense was not head coach Rick Carlisle, but the team's female assistant coach, Jenny Boucek.

She is the third female assistant coach in NBA history. Before entering the NBA, he helped Seattle Storm win the WNBA championship as an assistant coach, and is now known as the Pacers' "hidden brain".

The Pacers also had a magical moment that was talked about in the regular season. On March 12, the Pacers fought against the Bucks, and this battle was related to the competition for the top four in the East.

With only 3.9 seconds left in the game, the Pacers were still 3 points behind. At this critical moment, they used unexpected victory magic weapon to run rugby tactics and accurately pass the ball to the hands of the star Haliburton, who finally helped the team achieve a shocking reversal with 3+1.

In the view of coach Carlisle, this victory even activated the entire team and played an important role in the recovery of momentum. And this tactic was exactly what Bucchek did.

In addition to her praise for her coaching skills on the sidelines, her communication and interpersonal coordination skills are also extraordinary. Paskal Siakam, who joined the team for three times in early 2024, once publicly stated, "Jenny is really excellent. When I came to Indiana, I really have to adapt to a lot of things in the face of a new system, and she has helped me a lot."

head coach Carlisle also highly praised Buchek: "In my opinion, she may become the first female head coach in the NBA. Because she is not only very professional, but also good at handling interpersonal relationships, is good at listening and is humble."

Inside and outside the team, everyone admires this female coach. Of course, Buczek did not disappoint these trusts and expectations and created his own world in the NBA.

But unexpectedly, such a legendary career path is actually not in her initial life plan.

Although Buczek is in love with basketball and has the ability to help the University of Virginia team enter the NCAA Elite Top 8 three times, she is born in a medical research family and still plans to become a doctor after graduating from university, just like most people in the family. The story turns in 1997, and the establishment of the WNBA completely changed her life. After leaving the varsity, Bucheck heard about the trial training of one of the founding teams, the Cleveland Rockers, which rekindled her passion for basketball. Immediately afterwards, Buczek stood out and soon joined the team.

At that time, NBA Cavaliers assistant coach Ron Rothstein would watch the games and training of the women's basketball team in the same city in his spare time. He likes the way female players play, loves the passion and resilience they show, and he also appreciates a defensive expert in the team, who is Buchek.

According to the present, Ron became one of the helpers of Buczek's entry into the NBA in the future.

Bucek, who was a player, relied on his outstanding talent, retired due to injury, successfully transformed into an NBA assistant coach. But immediately afterwards, Buczek encountered a difficult choice - stay on the sidelines to coach or become a mother.

"Many women have to make a choice while pursuing their career path." In her opinion, sacrificing another dream for one dream is common in women's groups.

Due to concerns about losing her job and being treated differently, she once chose to hide news of her pregnancy during her tenure in the Kings. It was not until her physical reaction became stronger that she had to make it open and honest to the head coach, and she still hoped that the head coach could help her keep it secret from the players for the time being.

It is gratifying that the pregnant Buczek did not fall into the situation he once thought that "you can't have both fish and bear's paw." Her exquisite coaching skills have always left her a place for her, and many teams have also demonstrated the concept of treating women fairly in management, helping her to balance her career and family.

As in, Buczek's contract with the Pacers has a special clause. If the team has more than 3 nights of itinerary, Bucek's daughter must accompany her and it is not negotiable. The team will also pay all the fees for their daughter and a accompanying adult (usually Buczek's parents).

Now, Buchek, who is easy to switch between the two identities of assistant coaches and mothers, uses his own actions to declare that women do not need to choose one of them between career and family. This is the result of her outstanding personal ability, professional sports platforms such as the WNBA and the NBA team's respect for women's environment.

Above the article mentioned that if it weren't for the establishment of the WNBA, Buczek might have been away from the basketball circle.

Now, people are used to the existence of this world's top women's basketball league, so unimaginable that it was not easy for female players to embark on a career path before it was established..

The well-known American player Sheryl Swoopes once recalled: "When I grew up, even when I was on the university team, I never saw girls playing basketball on TV." The birth of the WNBA gave girls a real place to dream of basketball - it opened up the road to careers that allowed girls to go through campus basketball, and also provided them with a platform to be seen and recognized by more people.

Not only that, when Buchek was playing as a player, he was also touched by the female fans who came to watch the game without changing their temper: "The girls have suffered various denials in their lives because of their gender, and now, we are the best encouragement for them."

Yes, the female players on the court are no longer just representing themselves, but behind them are many female compatriots who resist unfair treatment in all walks of life.

Look back at the NBA sidelines, Becky Hammond, the first female coach to land here, once proposed: "Basketball is a gender-free sport. Whether it is a man holding the ball or a woman holding the ball, the ball itself is no different."

Whether it is Harmon, who made a historic breakthrough at the beginning, or Bucek, who is now being reused by the Pacers, are all using their personal experience to inspire more women, put aside their gender concerns to break through boundaries and realize their dreams.

And we always look forward to more such stories emerging inside and outside the professional sports arena.

*Unless otherwise specified, the pictures are: Buchek Social Media