The NBA continued to keep its doors open to gender when the Sacramento Kings announced the hiring of Jenn Boucek as an assistant to Dave Joerger. Boucek follows Nancy Lieberman, who served on George Karl’s staff in Sacramento, and Becky Hammon, currently on the Spurs’ staff.

The partnership of the NBA and WNBA is making this happen; both Hammon and Boucek have roots in the women’s professional league and therefore it has become a feeder system. The next move, of course, is a woman having the chance to move one seat over on the bench, which seems more likely than ever before.

Mechelle Voepel of ESPN, a veteran reporter of women’s basketball, takes a look:

Jenny Boucek is her usual optimistic self about her new role with the Sacramento Kings, but also pragmatic.

She officially was announced as part of head coach Dave Joerger’s staff on Friday before the Kings took on the Mavericks in Dallas.

Boucek was let go by the WNBA’s Seattle Storm on Aug. 10 during her third season as head coach. She had a combined record of 36-58 in Seattle, and took the brunt of the blame for the team’s struggles this past season.

Boucek joins fellow former WNBA player Becky Hammon as an NBA assistant coach. Hammon is further along in the pipeline, having joined the San Antonio Spurs’ staff before the 2014 season, right as she was retiring from her playing career.

The Kings have a large staff under Joerger, with eight other assistants involved in bench coaching, scouting and developmental roles. Boucek wants to be a productive cog in the machine, and continue learning about the game.