Famous Women Basketball Players

Women's basketball began in the year 1892 in America, and gradually became a passion around the world. It was included as an Olympic sport in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Since then the game has produced some amazing women champions. These women have achieved stardom with sheer determination and a spirited attitude towards the game. Here are some of the most acclaimed queens of slam dunk, and shoot and steal, who mesmerized us and continue to do so with their magical skills.

Babe Didrikson
She was the first known star to have played basketball. Babe was listed in the 'Guinness Book of Records' as the most versatile women athlete. She was a distinguished basketball player, golfer and also participated in track and field events at the highest level. In 1931, she led her basketball team to the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Championship. This was long before a professional league era had begun for either men or women.

Nera White
She was the most famous player of 1950s and 1960s. Nera was referred to as Michael Jordan of her gender due to her graceful maneuvering skills and athleticism. She is the first women player to be included in the National Basketball Hall of Fame.

Lisa Leslie
Lisa is one of the most popular players of the modern era, after women's basketball was professionalized in USA. She stands a towering 6'5" and is the first lady to have performed the dunk in women's basketball. She was a part of the Olympic gold medal winning team on four occasions, three times the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the league and a two-time WNBA champion. Lisa is one of the most recognizable faces of women's basketball.

Rebecca Lobo
A fierce rival of Lisa, Rebecca attracted great fan-following for her exuberant style. At the 1995 National Championships she led the Connecticut Huskies to a perfect 35-0 victory. Unfortunately, her career ended quickly due to a nasty injury to her left leg. Today, she is more famous as a women's basketball analyst with ESPN.

Anne Donovan
Anne is one of the most celebrated basketball players of all time, and the only person to have won the WNBA title both as a player and a coach. Her college basketball career was filled with awards and laurels. A two-time gold medal winner at the Olympics herself, she recently guided the US team to another gold medal in the women's basketball at 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Ann Meyers
Born in 1955, Ann was one of the most talented women to have played professional basketball. Ann became a part of the US national team when she was still in high school, becoming the first girl to achieve this rare feat. She was the talk of all the contemporary mass media when she signed a $50,000 no-cut contact with the NBA side Indiana Pacers. Although she was not chosen for the side, the try-out was the first by any women for the NBA. She led the US team to a silver medal at the 1976 Montreal Olympics when women's basketball was introduced in Olympics. Ann had an equally illustrious career as a television analyst and is a recipient of many media awards too.

Cheryl Miller
Cheryl is yet another shining star in the galaxy of famous women players. She played in the forward position for the team and is fifth among the all-time great NCAA players to have crossed 3000 point benchmark. She is third highest rebound scorer in the NCAA history. As a captain of the University of California team Trojans, she achieved a record victory 112-20 to gain an NCAA title in 1983 and also in 1984. She was the most valuable player for both the years and is a famous media personality today.

Diana Taurasi
Diana completed her preparatory career, ranked second to Miller in the California state history with a score of 3,047 points. She had a glamorous start at the University of Connecticut (UConn), leading her team to three successive titles from 2001-02 to 2003-04. She also won many professional and personal accolades at UConn and is currently serving the Phoenix Mercury team. She is one of the seven women players to have won the NCAA title, a WNBA title as well as the Olympic gold medal.

Swin Cash
Swin is an Olympic gold medal winner and also one of the most swashbuckling basketballers of all time. She is a ball handler, defender, rebounder and scorer; and the most versatile player serving in the Seattle Storm team. Swin has a couple of prestigious UConn titles in 2000 and 2002, and is an important member of the dazzling US team.

Ruth Riley
Riley plays with the San Antonio Silver Stars and is one of the most talented players of the current team. She won the Most Valuable Player award in 2001 and 2003 championship series and is the first player to do so in both NCAA and WNBA championships.

Candace Parker
Candace is a versatile player and winner of the 2007 and 2008 NCAA championships and a huge sensation among basketball fans. Her reputation is established by the fact that she was voted the favorite female athlete in the sports category of 2009 Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards.

'Genius is 99% perspiration and 1% inspiration' and these women embody the words aptly.