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 for a woman 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 States); 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—reaching 9.9 million viewers, the most in its history—is proof.

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