Activities Sports & Athletics Top Women in Basketball History Share PINTEREST Email Print NBAE/Getty Images Sports & Athletics Basketball Basics Playing & Coaching Baseball Bicycling Billiards Bodybuilding Bowling Boxing Car Racing Cheerleading Cricket Extreme Sports Football Golf Gymnastics Ice Hockey Martial Arts Professional Wrestling Skateboarding Skating Paintball Soccer Swimming & Diving Table Tennis Tennis Track & Field Volleyball Other Activities Learn More By Jone Johnson Lewis Women's History Writer B.A., Mundelein College M.Div., Meadville/Lombard Theological School Jone Johnson Lewis, M.Div., is a Humanist cleric and certified transformational coach. As a freelance writer, she specializes in women's history. our editorial process Jone Johnson Lewis Updated January 14, 2020 Women have been playing basketball almost as long as men have, though professional women's basketball is a more recent success. Learn here about some of the top American women who've made history in the sport of basketball. Most of these are players -- some of whom have gone on to coaching or broadcasting or other fields. Some are women who played professionally when there were no women's professional leagues available. Valerie Ackerman (November 7, 1959 - ) M. David Leeds/NBAE/Getty Images Noted for: First president of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) High school basketball: Hopewell Valley Central High School in New Jersey (graduated 1977). Also played field hockey and graduated first in class College basketball: University of Virginia (graduated 1981)Law degree, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) International professional basketball: France Management Staff attorney for NBA Various offices with NBA including vice president of business affairs President of the Women's National Basketball Association (1996-2006) Board of Governors of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Various other positions Other careers Key in creation of USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team 2005-2008: First woman to serve as president of USA Basketball Adjunct professor, Columbia University Hall of Fame Board of Governors of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Directors of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 Senda Berenson (March 19, 1868 - February 16, 1954) Unknown ca. 1902 photographer/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain Noted for: Organized the first women's basketball team -- at Smith College, 1893. Men were not admitted as spectators. Also known as: Senda Berenson Abbott, Mother of Women's Basketball Born in Russia Coaching: Physical education teacher at (all women's) Smith College Contributions Organized first women's basketball team, adapting rules invented by Dr. James Naismith Stressed basketball as exercise, socialization, not competition First women's basketball game played: March 21, 1893 1901 - 1907: wrote first Basketball Guide for Women Chaired U.S. Women's Basketball Committee Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985: one of three women inducted that year, the first women so honored Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 (first class of inductees) Cynthia Cooper (April 14, 1963 - ) Todd Warshaw/Getty Images Stats: 5 feet 10 inches / Guard Noted for: Born in Chicago, raised in California High school basketball: Locke High School, California College basketball: University of Southern California (USC - Women of Troy), 1982 - 1986 International professional basketball: Spain, Italy Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Houston Comets, 1997 - 2000 and 2003 Married: Brian Dyke, 2001. Twin children born in 2002 Autobiography: She Got Game published 2000 USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1988, 1992, gold medals USA Women's Pan American Team: 1987, gold medal Coaching Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) 2001 - 2002 Head coach, women's basketball team, Prairie View A&M University, 2006 (2008: NCAA announced penalties for Prairie View based on "major violations" of NCAA rules) Head coach, UNC Wilmington, women's basketball (Seahawks), 2010 Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 (first WNBA player) Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2009 Babe Didrikson Zaharias (June 26, 1911 - September 27, 1956) Unknown (Toronto Star)/Wikimedia Commons/Public Domain Babe Didrikson Zaharias is best known for track and field and for golf, but she started her sports career in high school basketball. Anne Donovan (November 1, 1961 - ) Alvin Chung/Getty Images Birthplace: New Jersey High school basketball: Paramus Catholic High School, New Jersey College basketball: Old Dominion University International professional basketball: Japan and Italy USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1984, 1988: gold medals. 1980 team: did not compete due to US boycott; assistant coach at 2004 Olympics and head coach at 2008 Olympics (gold medal) USA Women's Pan American Team: 1983, 1987: gold medals Goodwill Games: 1986, gold medal World Championship: 1986, gold medal Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Coaching: Old Dominion University; East Carolina University; Philadelphia Rage (American Basketball League); Indiana Fever (Women's National Basketball League / WNBA); Charlotte Sting (WNBA); Seattle Storm; New York Liberty; Seton Hall University Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 Teresa Edwards (July 19, 1964 - ) Andy Lyons/Getty Images Stats: 5 feet 11 inches / Guard Birthplace: Georgia Noted for: Youngest and oldest gold medalist in women's basketball at Olympics High school basketball: Cairo High School; Georgia High School Player of the Year, 1982 College basketball: University of Georgia USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 (four gold medals, one bronze); first woman to play in Olympics basketball five different years USA Women's Pan American Team: 1987: gold medal; 1991: bronze medal Professional Career International professional basketball: Italy, Japan, Spain, and France American Basketball League: player and head coach Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Minnesota Lynx 2003 - 2004 Coaching: 2011: coach, Tulsa Shock (WNBA) Sportscasting: NBC sports coverage for 2008 Olympics Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 Chamique Holdsclaw (August 9, 1977 - ) Otto Greule/Getty Images Birthplace: New York High school basketball: Christ the King Regional High School, Queens, New York College basketball: University of Tennessee (Lady Vols), 3 consecutive NCAA Women's Basketball Championships, 4-time Kodak All-American International professional basketball: Spain, Poland Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Washington Mystics, Los Angeles Sparks; Atlanta Dream; San Antonio Silver Stars USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 2000 Olympics (gold medal) USA Women's Pan American Team Janice Lawrence Braxton (June 7, 1962 - ) Public Domain Stats: 6 feet 3 inches / Center Also known as: Janice Lawrence College basketball: Louisana Tech (Lady Techsters) - national champions 1981 and 1982 Women's American Basketball Association (WABA): New York USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1984, gold medal USA Women's Pan American Team: 1983, gold medal International Professional Basketball Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Cleveland Rockers, 1997 - 1999 Coaching: Cleveland Rockers Hall of Fame Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 Lisa Leslie (July 7, 1972 - ) Tony Duffy/Getty Images Stats: 6 feet 5 inches / Center Birthplace: California Also known as: Lisa Leslie-Lockwood Noted for: WNBA MVP three times; Olympic gold medals four times; seven WNBA All-Star teams; two WNBA championships High school basketball: Morningside High School, California College basketball: University of Southern California USA Team World Competition World University Games: 1991, gold medal Jones Cup: 1992, gold medal US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008: four gold medals USA Women's Pan American Team: International Professional Basketball Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Los Angeles Sparks, 1997-2009 Sportswoman of the Year: 2001, Women's Sports Foundation Nancy Lieberman (July 1, 1958 - ) Tim DeFrisco/Getty Images Noted for being the first woman head coach in a U.S. men's professional league; the only woman to play in a men's professional league; youngest and oldest women's basketball player in the Olympics. Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York Also known as: Nancy Lieberman-Cline, "First Lady of Hoops," "Lady Magic," "Michael Jordan of women's basketball" High school basketball: Far Rockaway High School, Queens, New York College basketball: Old Dominion University, Virginia USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1976, silver medal; qualified for 1980 team, which did not participate when the US boycotted the Olympics USA Women's Pan American Team: 1975, gold medal; 1979, silver medal Career Professional Basketball: Played with the Dallas Diamonds, Women's Pro Basketball League (WBL); United States Basketball League (USBL); Washington Generals (played Harlem Globetrotters) Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Phoenix Mercury, 1997, oldest player in the WNBA; played for one game in 2008 for Detroit Shock Coaching: began 1998 as Head Coach and General Manager of Detroit Shock, WNBA; in 2008, became the first woman to coach a professional men's basketball team, for the Texas Legends, NBA Development League Hall of Fame Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 Rebecca Lobo (October 6, 1973 - ) Bob Stowell/Getty Images Stats: 6 feet 4 inches / Center Birthplace: Connecticut Also known as: Rebecca Lobo-Rushin High school basketball: Southwick-Tolland Regional High School, Massachusetts College basketball: University of Connecticut Career Hall of Fame: Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): New York Liberty, Houston Comets, Connecticut Sunn National Woman's Basketball League: Springfield Spirit Sportscasting: ESPN reporter, analyst Other: Rebecca Lobo has been an advocate on the topics of breast cancer and knee injury Ann Meyers (March 26, 1955 - ) Frazer Harrison/Getty Images Stats: 5 feet 9 inches / Guard Birthplace: Milwaukee Also known as: Ann Meyers Drysdale, Anne Meyers-Drysdale High school basketball: Sonora High School, La Habra, California (also played softball, field hockey, tennis and badminton) College basketball: UCLA Bruins women's basketball team Noted For: First woman to sign a free-agent contract with an NBA team (Indiana Pacers) First high school player to play on the U.S. national team Second woman to win a four-year athletic college scholarship First player drafted in the Woman's Professional Basketball Association (New Jersey Gems, 1978) Inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame, 1985 Inducted as first woman in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, 1993 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, charter member, 1999 USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1976 (silver medal) USA Women's Pan American Team: 1976 (gold medal), 1979 (silver medal) USA Women's FIBA World Championship for Women Team: 1979 (gold medal) USA Women's World University Games Team: 1977 (silver medal) Career National Basketball Association (WNBA): 1980, signed a contract with the Indiana Pacers, though she did not make the cut after try-outs Women's Professional Basketball League (WPBL): 1978, New Jersey Gems Sportscasting: She has been a network sports analyst on ESPN, CBS, and NBC, including for NBC coverage of the 2000 Olympics and for ABC coverage of the 1984 Olympics. Management: In 2011, Meyers was serving as president and general manager of the Phoenix Mercury, a team in the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association), and as vice-president for the Phoenix Suns, an NBA team. Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 (charter member) Inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame in 1985 Cheryl Miller (January 3, 1964 - ) Otto Greule/Getty Images Stats: 6 feet 4 inches / Forward Birthplace: California High school basketball: Riverside Polytechnic High School College basketball: University of Southern California (USC) USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1984, Los Angeles: gold medal USA Women's Pan American Team: 1983, gold medal USA Women's Goodwill Games Team: 1986, gold medal Career Professional basketball: Drafted by the United States Basketball League, a men's league Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Knee injuries kept her from playing professional basketball Coaching: 1993 - 1995: Head coach at USC 1997 - 2000: coach and general manager for Phoenix Mercury, Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) Sportscasting: Commentator, reporter, analyst for TNT, TBS, ABC, NBC Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1994 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 Dawn Staley (May 4, 1970 - ) NBAE/Getty Images Birthplace: Pennsylvania High school basketball: Dobbins Tech High School, Philadelphia College basketball: University of Virginia Career USA team world competition: US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1996, 2000, 2004 (gold medals); assistant coach 2008 (gold medal) International professional basketball: France, Italy, Brazil, and Spain American Baskeball League: Richmond Rage, 1996 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Charlotte Sting, 1999; Houston Targets, 2005 Coaching: Temple University head coach, 2000; head coach, University of South Carolina, 2008 Pat Summitt (June 14, 1952 - ) Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images Noted for: winningest coach in NCAA basketball history (for men's or women's basketball) Birthplace: Tennessee Also known as: Patricia Sue Head High school basketball: Cheatham County, Tennessee College basketball: University of Tennessee at Martin Coaching: since 1974: University of Tennessee Lady Vols USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: co-captain first-year women's basketball was included in the Olympics, 1976 (silver medal); coached 1984 team in 1894 (gold medal) USA Women's Pan American Team: Recognition Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 (inaugural class) Named Naismith Basketball Coach of the Century, 2000 #11 on Sporting News list of 50 Greatest Coaches of All Time (all sports) -- and the only woman on the list Sheryl Swoopes (March 25, 1971 - ) Doug Pensinger/Getty Images Noted for: First player signed by any WNBA team Birthplace: Texas Also known as: "female Michael Jordan" Early basketball: Little Dribblers children's league; member of 1988 Texas State Championship Team College basketball: South Plains College; Texas Tech (Lady Raiders) Career USA team world competition: US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1996, 2000, 2004 (gold medals) International professional basketball: played in Russia, Italy, Finland Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Houston Comets, Seattle Storm, Tulsa Shock Margaret Wade (December 30, 1912 - February 16, 1995) Noted for: pioneer coach Birthplace: Mississippi Also known as: L. Margaret Wade High school basketball: Cleveland High School College basketball: Delta State University Coaching Cleveland High School: 19 years Delta State University: 3 seasons, beginning in 1973 when Delta State reinstated women's basketball Recognition Margaret Ward Trophy created in 1978: An award for the top women's college player of the year Hall of Fame: Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1985 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 Nera White (November 15, 1932 - ) Noted for: AAU All-American every year from 1955 to 1969; MVP of the team nine times Birthplace: Tennessee College basketball: played for AAU women's basketball team in Nashville while she attended George Peabody College for Teachers USA team world competition: World Championship: 1957 Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999 Lynette Woodard (August 12, 1959 - ) Tony Duffy/Getty Images Noted for: first woman to play with the Harlem Globetrotters team Birthplace: Kansas High school basketball: Wichita North High School College basketball: University of Kansas -- All-American four times USA Team World Competition US Olympic Women's Basketball: 1984 (co-captain), gold medal; selected for 1980 team but US boycotted the 1980 Olympics USA Women's Pan American Team: 1983 (gold medal), 1991 (bronze medal) USA Women's Team, World University Games: 1979, gold medal USA Women's Team, World Championships: 1983 (silver medal), 1990 (gold medal) Career Highlights International professional basketball: Italy, Japan Harlem Globetrotters: 1985-1987 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA): Cleveland Rockers, Detroit Shock Coaching: University of Kansas Other career: financial consultant, stockbroker Hall of Fame Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004 Inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005