On Tuesday morning, Shams Charania of Stadium and the Athletic reported that the New Orleans Pelicans are promoting Naismith Hall of Famer and three-time WNBA Champion Swin Cash to Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations. The move makes Cash one of the highest-ranking women in an NBA front office. An official announcement has not yet been made by the team

“Sources: The New Orleans Pelicans are promoting executive Swin Cash – a former WNBA star and Naismith Hall of Famer – to Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations, making her one of the highest-ranking women in an NBA front office.”

The Hall of Famer and WNBA legend has been a part of the Pelicans organization since 2019.

Pelicans Hiring Swin Cash In 2019 

On June 10, 2019, New Orleans Pelicans’ Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin announced that they hired Swin Cash as Vice President of Basketball Operations/Team Development.

Back in 2020, Griffin shared with Heavy.com, that he hired Cash because of her basketball acumen.

“So, Swin and I worked together at NBA TV with Turner [Sports] and spent a lot of time breaking down the game and analyzing a lot of the players, and I loved her basketball acumen,” said Griffin. “But the human that she is, the things that she cared about, her appreciation for family, her appreciation for the players, and for what it takes to build a family organization from a cultural standpoint that is she spoke to us.”

Later that year, Cash responded to Griffin’s comments. 

“I think it is great to have allies in this space that understand your background and what you bring to the table. David Griffin has been such a great supporter, and he is one of the main reasons why I took this position,” said Cash. “I was on a path, and I was on the media side, and I was working with the NBA as well as an associate and some other things. So, to make this shift in my career, you have to know you are going to be working with great people, and I have been afforded the opportunity to work with some really great people.”

When the news broke in 2019, that the Pelicans were adding Cash to the organization after working with the New York Liberty as their Director of Franchise Development for two years.

Her former coach with the Seattle Storm, Brian Agler spoke about Cash being hired by the Pelicans.

“I think it is a tribute to the league to really support women and support them moving up in the men’s side of the NBA. Both really good hires, both quality people, so they are going to represent those programs very well,”  said Agler.

“I coached Swin, and I know what kind of competitor she is. She is a winner and she is a prideful person, so she is going to take a lot of pride in her job. So, she is going to work to do the best she can to be the best at her position. There won’t be anyone better than Swin that is the kind of person she is and she is going to do the same thing in the offices that she did on the basketball court and I’m happy for her, I’m proud of her. She is a winner and that was a tremendous hire by the Pelicans.”

Swin Cash Playing Career 

Cash made her mark on the all-time WNBA record books, as she is ranked 17th in scoring (5,119 career points) and assists (1,133), 12th in rebounding (2,521) and 25th in blocks (258). She played 15 seasons in the WNBA, winning WNBA titles with the Detroit Shock (2003, ’06) and Seattle Storm (’10) and was named one of the WNBA’s Top 20 Best and Most Influential players. A four-time WNBA All-Star, Cash won two Olympic gold medals with the U.S. Women’s National Team (2004, ’12).

She would finish her Hall of Fame career in 2016, with the New York Liberity before transitioning to an executive position with the team. 

During her collegiate career at University of Connecticut, she averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in 133 games played. She also is a two-time National Champion, was awarded All-NCAA Tourney, NCAA-All-Region, NCAA Tourney MOP, AP All American [AP AA], Women’s Basketball Coaches Association [WBCA AA], 3X All-Big East.

If  Shams Charania report is true in terms of the Pelicans promoting Swin Cash to their Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations congratulations to her and her family. Also, praises should go into Pelicans Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin for continuing to champion women in leadership roles.