NBA commissioner Adam Silver says the league is long overdue for a female head coach ... admitting he'd be "hugely disappointed" if it doesn't happen within the next 5 years.
The commish made his intentions known in an interview with Bonnie Bernstein on the NCAA's "College Sports Conversations - Title IX at 50" podcast this week ... admitting the Association needs to improve at including women in coaching roles.
"Progress isn't happening as fast as I'd like to see," Silver said.
"In jobs that aren't about how high you can jump, or how strong you are or how tall you are, things should be completely equal."
Of course, ex-WNBA star Becky Hammon reportedly came close to being the first woman to lead an NBA bench -- she interviewed for the Milwaukee Bucks' vacancy while serving as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs.
She eventually left to take an HC gig with the Las Vegas Aces, where she won a WNBA title.
Silver points out the league has done better with hiring female referees ... and expects the number of female coaches to increase over time, especially now that there are seven female assistants throughout the league.
Silver thinks as more women continue to move up the ranks and get experience as assistants, they will soon get their time to shine.
"I would be hugely disappointed if certainly in five years we haven’t seen our first female head coach in the NBA."