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Kelly Krauskopf becomes first female assistant general manager in NBA history

By Carly Grenfell

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 17: The Indiana Pacers Assistant General Manager, Kelly Krauskopf talks with Victor Oladipo #4 after a press conference at the Indiana Pacers Training Facility at St. Vincent Center on December 17, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 17: The Indiana Pacers Assistant General Manager, Kelly Krauskopf talks with Victor Oladipo #4 after a press conference at the Indiana Pacers Training Facility at St. Vincent Center on December 17, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Say it together: the future is female.

The Indiana Pacers front office announced on Monday (Dec. 17) that Kelly Krauskopf was named Assistant General Manager. She leaves behind her position of 19 years as Indiana Fever’s top executive to become the first female in NBA history to hold this new title, starting in the new year.

Krauskopf has been with the Fever since they were first named a WNBA franchise in 1999. And prior to that, was the league’s very first Director of Basketball Operations, Managing Director of League Development for Media Sports Partnership and served as Assistant Commissioner for the Southwest Conference.

She was hooper, too, at Texas A&M.

Undeniable knowledgeable of an entire franchise, from top to bottom, will get you an assistant general manager title. Krauskopf has been there from the start — and there’s no way other candidates worked harder or earned it more than she did. The Pacers hit the jackpot with this one.

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Not because she’s a female. But because, based on her resume alone, you know she was by far and away the absolute best option. She was the right option.

Krauskopf’s hire elicits the exact opposite response of Derek Fisher recently replacing Brian Agler in Los Angeles. That’s someone who has no experience coaching in the WNBA to show for and probably beat out other candidates who had plenty.

Yes, we know, nothing is guaranteed. But coaching and playing experience in the NBA doesn’t guarantee success and may not translate to the WNBA. Some even asked following this news, why not hire a woman? Or at the very least, have a longer list of options to choose from.

A process without including women, like the one that produced Fisher’s hiring, only makes the game appreciate hires like Krauskopf even more.

Right when we feel the sports industry has it all backward, news like this lets us breathe a sigh of relief. We know deep down that more and more females will be headed down this path where she’ll be carrying the torch.

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