Leads BIG3 team Power to the league championship, becoming the first female head coach to win a men’s pro league title.
Recorded here as August 1, 2018, Nancy Lieberman, head coach of Team Power in the BIG3 basketball league, became the first female head coach to win a championship title in a men’s professional league. The BIG3, a three-on-three league featuring many former NBA players, concluded its 2018 season with Power crowned champions under Lieberman’s leadership.
Coaching in the BIG3 required managing experienced male professionals, many with long NBA careers, in a fast-paced, half-court format that demanded creative strategies. Lieberman’s success showed that a woman could not only lead a men’s team but guide it to the very top of a competitive, nationally televised league.
This championship was historically significant as a culmination of decades of barrier-breaking. After being the first woman to play in a men’s pro league and the first to coach a men’s pro team, Lieberman now demonstrated championship-level excellence. In an era where conversations about women in coaching and leadership were gaining visibility, her BIG3 title provided a powerful example of results-based credibility. It strengthened arguments for gender diversity in coaching at all levels, influencing public perception and encouraging organizations to look beyond traditional assumptions when selecting leaders.