The Women's Basketball Association (WBA or WWBA) was the first women's professional basketball summer league, operating from 1992 to 1995. The league was called the WWBA and WBA for the first All-Star tour in 1992, before settling on WBA. The pioneer league was formed in 1992 by Lightning N Mitchell and played three full seasons from 1993 to 1995.[1][2]
The WBA played a 15-game schedule, and games were broadcast on Liberty Sports of Dallas. The All-Star games were also televised on Fox Sports. Kansas Jayhawks All-American Geri "Kay-Kay" Hart and Robelyn "Robbie" Garcia announced the game on Fox Radio and Nancy Lieberman was the TV announcer for the 1995 All-Star game.[3] The team was featured on the cover of the Star Magazine, an arts publication run by the Kansas City Star from 1924 until the late 1990s.[4][5] USA Today did a story on the Kansas City Mustangs coached by Joe C. Meriweather, and included a full-team picture.[5]
The WBA played three full seasons, with plans to play as a 12-team league in 1997, but disbanded before the season began. When Fox Sports purchased Liberty Sports and the WBA, they dissolved the league shortly after and sold off the franchising rights. The league was the first American professional women's basketball league to be successful as a summer league, like their counterpart WNBA.[6]
Guard Laurie Byrd played for the WWBA, WBA, American Basketball League and WNBA.[7]
WBA Champions
edit- 1993 – Kansas Crusaders – MVP: Robelyn Garcia
- 1994 – Nebraska Express – MVP: Maurtice Ivy (Tice)
- 1995 – Chicago Twisters – MVP: Diana Vines
1993 WBA regular season
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MVP: Sarah Campbell
WBA 1st Round Playoffs
Missouri 2–1 over Iowa
Iowa 119, Missouri 103
Missouri 98, Iowa 93
Missouri 117, Iowa 112 (OT)
Kansas 2–0 over Oklahoma
Kansas 92, Oklahoma 77
Kansas 114, Oklahoma 64
Nebraska 2–0 over Illinois
Nebraska 166, Illinois 129
Nebraska 127, Illinois 115
WBA 2nd Round Playoffs
Kansas 2–0 over Missouri
Kansas 121, Missouri 97
Kansas 109, Missouri 99
1993 WBA Championship (best-of five)
Kansas 3–1 over Nebraska
Kansas 125, Nebraska 119
Nebraska 118, Kansas 100
Kansas 111, Nebraska 96
First WBA Championship: Kansas 100, Nebraska 98
MVP: Robelyn "Robbie" Garcia
1994 WBA regular season
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MVP: Evette Ott, Sarah Campbell
WBA 1st Round Playoffs
Memphis 2–0 over St. Louis
Memphis 126, St. Louis 111
Memphis 122, St. Louis 110
Indiana 2–0 over Oklahoma
Indiana 107, Oklahoma 91
Indiana 103, Oklahoma 91
WBA 2nd Round Playoffs (Best out of 2 or the total number of points score in 2 games)
Memphis won series in Points (195–185)
Kansas City 98, Memphis 94
Memphis 101, Kansas City 87
Nebraska won series by winning 2–0 over Indiana
Nebraska 99, Indiana 89
Nebraska 91, Indiana 87
1994 WBA Championship (best-of five)
Nebraska 3–2 over Memphis
Memphis 102, Nebraska 101
Nebraska 123, Memphis 108
Memphis 138, Nebraska 128
Nebraska 111, Memphis 101
Nebraska 103, Memphis 101
MVP: Maurtice (Tice) Ivy
1995 WBA regular season
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MVP: Evette Ott, Sarah Campbell
1995 Last WBA Championship Game
Chicago 107, St. Louis 96
Co-MVP: Diana Vines & Petra Jackson
References
edit- ^ Robert Bradley; Jack Black; F. Travis Boley; Robert Bradley; Tom Goddard; John Guy; Steve Mau; Shawn Oliver; Mark Pollak; Pat Premo; Dennis Slusher (June 16, 2006). "The History of Women's Professional Basketball". Archived from the original on December 11, 2003.
- ^ "Chronicles of KC: The WBA and life before the WNBA". KSHB. March 23, 2021. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ^ Nalani Butler, Barbra. Women on the Move: The Migration of WNBA Players to Overseas Basketball Teams (Thesis). University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
- ^ "Kansas City Star Magazine Collection, 1924–1926, 1970–1983 (K0595)". State Historical Society of Missouri. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ^ a b Walker, Mike (July 10–16, 1997). "No League of Their Own". The Pitch. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ^ "New Women's League Will Alter the Game". The New York Times. December 18, 1990. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 28, 2021.
- ^ "Laurie Byrd becomes first Eastern Michigan women's basketball player to have her jersey retired". AnnArbor.com. Retrieved August 28, 2021.