History of Women’s Basketball

Women’s basketball has been taking the court by storm, growing in viewers, live attendance, media deals and more.  Its popularity has skyrocketed and for a good reason.  The athletic ability, the on court grit, off court dedication, and relentless drive to break out of challenging stereotypes has elevated the game to a whole new level.  

Sue Wicks, first-round pick for the New York Liberty and 2000 WNBA All-Star, recently shared, “I try to never lose sight of what a special time it is to be a women’s basketball player.”  This statement coming from a women’s basketball legend that still holds multiple records at Rutgers for career and single-season highs for both men’s and women’s basketball in points, rebounds, scoring average, and blocked shots gives weight to the developments made in the sport, especially within the last decade.

The progress has been long overdue if you look through the 130 plus years of the sport’s history.  Founded in 1892 by Senda Berenson at Smith College, women’s basketball took the court just one year after James Naismith, more commonly known as ‘Dr. J’ invented the game at the local Massachusetts YMCA.  His hope was to create an indoor activity for his young students during the harsh winter months as an outlet for their high and often aggressive energy.  He probably had no idea his game would become an integral part of American history and culture for both men and women.

While the men’s sport was met with great enthusiasm, the women’s side was met with far more defiance.  In that day and age, women were seen as weak and were demanded to act femininely, making an aggressive basketball game a far cry from what the culture said they should be doing.  Undeterred, Berenson made adjustments to the game to take into account societal expectations of women players.

The inaugural years of women’s basketball featured a more refined version of the game that was more suitable for women. Instead of the fast paced game of today’s players, 1890’s basketball was focused on socialization and physical activity rather than competition, reflecting the societal norms of the time.  

These adaptations came in the form of rules like no more than three dribbles for a player in a single possession, no possession lasting longer than three seconds, or snatching the ball from an opposing player.  The court was also divided into three sections with a player assigned to a particular area.  From the 9 vs 9 game to the lack of backboards, the game was nearly unrecognizable to today’s on-court-look but these regulations made the new sport palatable for both men and women alike.  

In no way was Berenson challenging that women could play a man’s game, pleasing the male chauvinists of the day.  But she also was sure to not rock the boat of those women afraid of female athletes losing the grace, dignity and self respect in such a competition.  In fact, skirts and corsets were still the required uniform for the game.

The sport took off as it moved into the 20th century, becoming a popular game everywhere from backyard hoops to college programs.  But there was still steep opposition due to societal norms discouraging their participation in competitive sports. Many believed vigorous activities like basketball were unladylike and potentially harmful to women’s health.  Still the push for the game brought advancements and changes to instill greater competition and talent to early women’s basketball.

The women’s rights movements across the US through the first decades of the 1900s further spurred the growth and popularity of the game.  The eventual historic and monumental advancement came in 1972 with the ratification of Title IX, a federal civil rights law disallowing gender discrimination in education programs, including athletics. This legislation led to a remarkable increase in the number of women participating in collegiate basketball and significantly improved the quality of women’s basketball programs.

A second piece of the growth of collegiate sport participation through the 1970s came with the formation of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW).  Now having a governing body for women’s college athletics, there was finally an organization that not only provided structure in policies and administration of games, but also empowered women athletes by giving them equality, inclusion, and autonomy in contrast to other organizations that were predominantly controlled by men.  

By this time, the look of the game had dramatically changed from its earliest days- women were playing a 5 on 5 full court game with no concern to their feminine constitution or lady-like behavior.  Pioneer women like Pat Summit, Ann Meyers, and Nancy Lieberman further ignited the sport through the 70s as they played on the first US Olympic team, shocked the world as they were recruited on NBA teams and began legendary collegiate coaching careers.  The end of the decade saw the first professional women’s basketball organization, the Women’s Basketball League (WBL), beginning with just 8 teams.

The 1980s brought new changes to the sport.  The NCAA took over as the governing body of female college sports, bringing with it further funding, recognition, and participation.  In what some considered a power grab for the up and coming AIAW, the focus of the welfare of female athletes over profit and competition was lost in the assimilation, something that would still take decades to reemerge.   

Not all changes were positive, however.  After just three years, which included a cancelled 1980s Olympic trip, poor funding and limited marketing, the WBL collapsed.  It wouldn’t be until 1996 that the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) would be formed and professional women’s basketball would take the court again. 

The nearly three decades since the origination of the WNBA has brought further evolution to the game, it now emphasizes athleticism, skill, and strategy, mirroring the fast-paced nature of the men’s game. This evolution not only reflects how society has changed in regard to women’s sports but also demonstrates the remarkable progress and skill development within the game itself, making it a dynamic and thrilling sport to watch.

Its popularity, fan base, and following were never more suggestive than the Iowa-UConn women’s Final Four match in April 2024 that became the most-watched basketball game in all of ESPN history, with an audience peak at 17 million.  Names like Caitlyn Clark, Hannah Stuelke, Paige Bueckers, and Aaliyah Edwards became legends after the wildly competitive, highly aggressive, and record breaking game. 

The women of today’s basketball continue to push the boundaries and elevate women’s basketball to new heights, and have to in order to keep their sport alive amidst continued challenges.  Challenges like pay disparities, unequal media coverage, and limited professional and college resources.  Their protest to such challenges were clearly illustrated in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game warm ups where the players wore black shirts with the slogan “Pay Us What You Owe Us.”

There is still room for growth and progress in the realm of women’s basketball, but there can be no denying the great strides since its conception.  In the 133 years of the sports, women have continued to awe the world with their power, precision, and undeniable place in the global sports landscape.  With each season, they have shattered expectations and raised new standards for what women’s basketball can and will become.  

And this is only the beginning. As investment rises, opportunities expand, and young players dream bigger than the generations before them, women’s basketball is not just catching up, it is redefining what the future of sport looks like.