Ann Meyers Drysdale

In 1980, Ann Meyers Drysdale – who had already established herself as one of the best female basketball players on earth – made NBA history by briefly joining the Indiana Pacers, becoming the first and only woman to sign as a player in the Association.  

It was the latest peak for a hooper whose career included earning the first Division I athletic scholarship in NCAA history, at UCLA; becoming the first player to be drafted into the WBL (an early women’s professional basketball league in the United Sates); and being among the first women to be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. 

She didn’t stop there. Eventually, Meyers Drysdale became the first woman to serve as a commentator for the Indiana Pacers.  She has also served as vice-president for the Phoenix Suns and general manager and VP for the same city’s Mercury, where she bagged three WNBA championships. Currently, she serves as a commentator for both teams. 

Due in part to her pioneering efforts, today’s women are getting their due on courts across the nation.  The 2023 NCAA Women’s National Championship  – reachign 9.9 million viewers, the most in its history – is proof.